I happen to know a couple, Pam and Phil, who are both teachers. One is a principal and the other happens to be a really smart English teacher. Of course, they don’t make a ton of money, and they have a baby on the way. Instead of just throwing the idea of solar power right out the window, they sat down, did the numbers, and did a lot of research too. One option they had was to put an entire system on their house and get rid of using coal and the other option allowed them to get rid of coal while paying nothing. Take a guess which option they decided to go with.

The option available is known as solar leasing. If you can’t afford to pay for a system outright, this option allows you to lease the system you need and it makes a great alternative that you won’t want to pass up. Not sure how it works? Here is a closer look.

First of all, you make the decision to go with solar power, which is definitely a great decision for the environment. Then you take measures to contact a company that leases out these systems, such as SolarCity, which works in states including Texas, California, Colorado, Oregon, and Arizona. Then you can ask them if your home is going to be a good fit for solar power. If you end up being a good candidate, then you sign all the paper work and they show up and put in a photovoltaic system on the house and you don’t have to pay. You can monitor it wirelessly and it also has a good warranty. What you pay is a fee on the setup and this fee usually ends up begin less than the electric bill you are paying. The amount stays the same as well for the entire lease life, which can save you money too.

Basically, this is a great option if you want to choose greener solar energy for your home but you don’t have the money. You don’t have to pay anything up front, they install the system for you, and you pay a fee that is less than your electric bill. You are able to kick the cola habit and you cut down on what you pay for energy each month, which is a great benefit. Of course, there are a variety of options to consider when you are considering the transition to solar energy. However, this one is one of the best options and can allow you to have the solar energy you need without the up front huge expense of paying to have the photovoltaic system put in by yourself.

First generation solar cells are made of monocrystaline silicon wafers which have a purity level of 99.99% . Silicone makes up almost twenty six percent of the earth’s crust and is the second most abundant element, with only oxygen being more common. Silicone crystals can be grown from one to eleven inches (300 millimeters) in diameter in laboratories under controlled conditions. These crystals are then sliced very thinly into wafers which are then cleaned with a weak acid solution, doped to change their electrical properties and chemically etched to remove layers from their surface. Individual solar cells are formed from a single wafer of silicone crystal which are then connected together to make a solar panel.

Second generation, or thin-film solar cells, are made of a variety of materials. Cadmium telluride is layered with cadmium sulfide to form one type of solar cell. Copper indium gallium selenide is also used as a light absorbing material for another type of solar cell. This type of solar cell is less efficient than first generation solar cells, but they are cheaper to make. Amorphous silicon, which is the noncrystaline form of silicon, can be used to make solar cells as well as micromorphous silicon modules. These materials are applied to glass or ceramics using either electroplating, vapor deposition, or ultrasonic nozzle methods.

Advanced thin-film photovoltaic cells are also called third generation solar cells. These solar cells make use of printing technologies to print photovoltaic substances on flexible materials. This is a relatively new technology which is still developing. But solar cells made with printing methods have achieved pretty high efficiency levels and at a lower cost than previous production methods. Expanded uses for these materials include solar cells  integrated into clothing to power hand held devices. Solar cells may also be integrated into auto paint which could turn the car’s body into a solar collector.

Evolving technology has resulted in new materials to be developed for solar cells to be made from. Solar cell material has evolved from growing silicone wafers and slicing them very thin to printing solar sensitive materials on flexible sheets. And the future promises more promising uses as solar cell technology continues to improve.

Using the proper type of battery is vital. Deep-discharge, lead acid batteries are the best storage medium for the solar home power system. Automobile batteries are shallow-discharge batteries designed to provide a short, powerful burst of energy to start a vehicle. They are harmed if more than twenty percent of their power is discharged. Lead acid, deep discharge batteries can discharge fifty to seventy percent of their stored charge without harming them.

There are three major types of lead acid batteries available for use in home solar power systems. These are the flooded, gel, and absorbed glass mat (AGM) batteries. The flooded type is the cheapest of the three and should give many years of service. They have caps for adding water and should be checked regularly. Gel batteries are sealed and will need less maintenance. AGM batteries uses a woven glass mat to hold the electrolyte in the battery. These batteries are also sealed and will not leak. They also maintain voltage better, have a lower rate of self discharge and have a longer life. They are also much more expensive than other types of batteries.

The typical solar home power system needs more than one battery. Individual batteries are connected together in a string, which can either be a twelve, twenty-four, or forty-eight volts. These strings are then connected together to form a battery bank. The bank is circuited through an inverter which converts the DC voltage of the batteries to the AC current needed by household appliances.

Batteries work best if they are installed in an area where the temperature stays between seventy and seventy-five degrees. Lead acid batteries will discharge toxic gases when charging, so they should not be installed inside the home. A separate, warm area is needed for them, or ventilation provided which will draw off these fumes. Gel and AGM batteries do not give off gases when they charge, so they may be installed without venting.

A charge controller installed between the solar panel and the solar cell will protect the batteries from damaging overcharge, and will also sense when the battery is getting low in charge and will shut the circuit down to prevent damage to the battery. Various meters can be installed to monitor the charge and available voltage in the battery.

A well chosen storage battery can help your solar home power system deliver consistent, reliable power to your home during periods of low light levels. They can also help protect the electronics in the home by delivering a constant flow of electricity at a stable rate. If installed in a suitable environment the batteries should give many years of service.

Reduce your power bill by 80% or even eliminate it completely!

Advances in solar cell efficiency and materials are making solar panel systems a reality for those in less than perfect weather conditions. No longer do solar panel systems need to be installed in only dry, super sunny areas like California, Florida, or the Sun Belt in between. Homeowners in cooler climates and overcast conditions are still able to take advantage of solar panel system utility savings.

First, the weather doesn’t have to be sunny for a solar panel to absorb the sun’s rays. Solar panels absorb the sun’s rays of light, and this includes the invisible spectrum. We’ve all experienced a sun-burn on overcast days or through thin clothing, and it is a similar principle here. Unfortunately, when the weather is not sunny, the power generated by the solar panel is significantly reduced but not removed entirely.

Second, angles of solar panels and the use of mirrors or other magnifying instruments can help overcome a lack of direct sunlight. Many solar panel companies in less than ideal weather areas are experimenting with ways to artificially magnify the sun’s rays to increase power production. As the problems with the reflective surface of the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles has taught us, mirrored surfaces that intensify the sun’s rays are dangerous. Only experienced solar panel specialists should be involved with systems to use mirrors or other devices to overcome adverse weather conditions.

Homeowners in certain harsh weather climates should also invest in a solar panel system with durable frames. Although wood and aluminum frames are more affordable, they will not stand up to years of snow or heavy rains without deteriorating. The acidity or salt levels in moisture should also be taken into account when selecting a frame for solar panels. More durable frames of composite materials and stainless steel are the ideal frames for solar panels in places with harsh winters or high precipitation rates.

Snow can be problematic for solar panel system owners. Hardware stores and online specialty stores now sell “roof rakes” that can reach up to 20-30 feet and slide the snow off the roof. For solar panel use, homeowners should make sure there is a rubber bottom to the aluminum plating to prevent scratching or other damage to the solar panels themselves. Removing the snow can bring energy production levels back up, and it prevents the snow from compacting in slow to melt and hard to remove sheet of ice.

Another savvy trick for homes in heavy snow conditions is in the wiring. Since solar panel systems are wired together, obstruction in one area can heavily affect the entire solar panel grid’s power output. Talk to your solar panel installation specialist and try to make sure the top of the solar panel system on the roof is as unaffected as possible from obstruction on the lower portion of the solar panels. The top portion of the roof is the area more likely to have snow slide off due to the sharp angle and remain unobstructed to sunlight.

Just because you don’t have the super sunny days of the southern states doesn’t mean a solar panel system is a waste of money. More efficient solar cells, durable solar panel frames, and tricks to handle snow are all it takes for those in harsher climates to enjoy the energy cost savings of a solar panel system. As an added bonus, it might even make it easier to receive a solar energy rebate from your state. People in colder climates think solar panels can’t work for them, and are less likely to pursue a system let alone seek a government rebate. But today’s solar panel systems do not absorb heat from the sun like much older systems, but the rays of the sun which shine through clouds, snow, and even rain.

Reduce your power bill by 80% or even eliminate it completely!

First you should investigate the local building codes to see what is allowed, and what is not. You may need a permit to install a solar water heating systems, and some homeowner associations may not permit them at all. State, county, and city codes may have jurisdiction over your site as well. A qualified construction contractor should be consulted to see if the roof will support the weight of a solar collector.

Next you should determine the economics of installing a solar water heating system. How much hot water you use and the cost of that hot water are the first things you should find out. That will tell you the size of the water heater you need and from that you can determine the type of hot water heater you should purchase. Once all this is known, the cost of the solar water heating system can be determined. Compare the cost and expected life of the unit to your estimated annual savings over the life of the system. If the expected savings are greater than the cost of the system, then it will probably pay off to have it installed.

Next you will need to evaluate your home’s site. Is there sufficient sunlight to provide the heat you need. In general, you should have sunlight between the hours of nine o’clock in the morning until three o’clock in the afternoon. A southern exposure is the best, as this will expose solar collector to the most sunlight for the longest period of time. A professional solar water heater installer should be able to provide a good site analysis for you.

Once all these steps have been completed, you will need to find a competent contractor to install the solar water heating system. These systems are complex and should not be attempted by the homeowner unless they are skilled in construction and plumbing techniques. You will need to know if the contractor is experienced in installing solar hot water systems, how long they have been in business and if they are certified. Some states require either a plumbers or solar contractor license to install solar hot water systems.

The installation of a solar hot water system can save you money on your energy bill. But research should be done before installing a system. Investigation of your local building codes, calculation of the economics and an evaluation of your home’s site are all very important steps to be taken. A good solar contractor can help you with these steps and will install the system properly as well as provide you with advice on running and maintaining the system. Asking the right questions will help you find the right contractor for your installation. Only after fully researching the project should a solar hot water system be installed in your home.

Determining your home’s energy use is just a phone call away. Your electric utility company can tell you what your annual energy usage is and what your cost is. Once you know your annual energy use you can determine the size of solar collector you need. The electric company bills you in kilowatt hours. A kilowatt is a thousand watts, and a kilowatt hour is using one thousand kilowatts for an hour. In other words, if you have an appliance which uses 100 watts of energy, it would take ten hours of operation for it to use one kilowatt hour.

Once you know how many kilowatt hours your home consumes during a year, you need to estimate how large a solar cell array you will need. It may be best to consult a contractor or installer who specializes in solar electric installation for sizing the system. You may get a very rough estimate yourself using the rule of thumb that one square yard of collector can produce approximately one kilowatt hour of electricity per day.

Once you have a rough idea of how large of a solar cell array you need, you then need to determine how much room you have for your solar home power system. Normally the solar cells are placed on the roof of a structure. A typical home will need approximately one thousand square feet of solar collector to generate sufficient power. So you will need at least that much roof space for your collector array. If you don’t have that much, then you may want to consider a free standing installation. This type of installation may also be needed if the roof will not support the weight of the solar collector, or if it is not comparable with the roofing material. You may want to think about replacing the roof of the structure when the collector is installed.

Now you need to find out if your electric company has a net metering policy. What net metering is, and why it is important for your solar home power system is an important thing to find out. At times your solar home power system will produce more power than you are using. With net metering, this excess power flows backward through the electric meter into the power company’s grid. With net metering, you will receive a retail credit for this power. Then, during times when the home is using more power than the solar array is producing, these retail credits are applied to the electricity flowing back into the home from the power company’s grid. If the utility company does not allow net metering, you may need to install a battery to store the excess power generated.

With this information in hand you will know what components you will need for your solar home power system. You can then have an estimate of the cost of the system you will need to install. The contractor or sales person will need to inform you of the expected lifetime of the system. Once you know how many years the system will last, you can compare it to your annual electric cost over the same number of years. Whichever number is larger will tell you how economical the installation of the solar home power system will be.

Solar cell technology continues to improve, and the economics of installing a solar home energy system changes dramatically over time. Add to this the fact that future energy costs will probably continue to rise, and you may conclude that installing a solar home energy system is a smart thing to do.

Reduce your power bill by 80% or even eliminate it completely!

The components of a solar home power system are fairly standard, but there are some variations, depending upon the type of system you install. Typically the components of a home solar electrical generation system consist of solar panels, an inverter, batteries, charge controller, safety disconnect and system monitors. Other components like a grounding circuit and special electric meter may additionally be needed or desired.

The solar panel is the heart of a home solar power system. This device collects the sun’s energy and converts it into electricity. The solar collector, or array, is usually located on the structure’s roof, facing south. Some solar arrays have tracking devices which allow them to follow the sun across the sky. These tracking systems can greatly increase the cost of the system and can be a source of maintenance problems. Most solar arrays don’t use trackers and are fixed in position at an angle which is determined by your geographic location to provide optimum solar exposure.

Since a solar cell produces DC current and the appliances in the home use AC current, an inverter is needed to convert the electricity generated by the solar cell to AC. The inverter is installed in the circuit so that power is fed from the solar cells and battery through it and into the homes electrical circuit.

The batteries used in solar home power systems are different types than those used for automobiles. Automobile batteries are termed shallow-cycle batteries. This means that they aren’t capable of discharging more than twenty percent of their charge regularly without being damaged. Batteries used in solar and wind power systems are “deep-cycle batteries, which means that they can regularly discharge up to eighty percent of their stored electricity. You will need batteries installed in your system if you plan on having a stand alone power system, or want back up storage in case utility power fails at night or during cloudy periods when the solar cells are not active..

A charge controller is needed in systems using batteries. A charge controller prevents the solar cells overcharging the batteries and damaging them. If the controller senses that batteries are fully charged, and the excess electricity is not needed for use, it will send the excess power to a shunt load. The controller will also sense when a battery has discharged its capacity and shuts it down before damage occurs.

If your system is connected to the utility electrical grid, they will probably require that you install a safety disconnect. The disconnect allows your solar home power system to be disconnected from the grid in the event of a power outage. This keeps electricity from your system from entering the grid and harming utility workers doing repairs. The safety disconnect will also help protect your system from power surges in the grid.

You will want to protect the home solar power system from damage from lightning strikes, power surges, and equipment failures. A grounding circuit does this by providing a low resistance path for the electricity to the ground.

A back up generator may be desired if you have installed a stand alone solar home power system, or if you want to have a backup for utility power outages during the night or low sun periods when the solar cells are inactive. A generator may be desired instead of using batteries for backup for grid connected systems.

The electric meter installed by the utility keeps track of the power entering your home. If a net metering policy has been instituted by the utility company, then the meter will spin backward when your solar home power system is feeding power into the grid, and forward when you are using the utility company’s power.

A solar home power system requires specialized equipment for safe and reliable use. Proper batteries, disconnects, inverters and meters should always be installed. A well designed system should provide sun generated electrical power to your home for many years.

Reduce your power bill by 80% or even eliminate it completely!