Residential
What is solar energy?
Many, if not most people, when they hear the term 'solar energy' or 'solar power', will think of 'PV' or Photo-Voltaic panels – those shiny things on house roofs that make electricity. But PV is just one piece of the Solar Energy 'pie'. The other slice is solar 'thermal' energy – this is where we use the sun's abundant (and free!) radiated heat to warm things up, then use that heat elsewhere – for example in a solar hot water system. Of course, indirectly the sun provides us with wind energy too – if you're interested in this, please see www.SolarEnergyWind.com for more information.
The solar energy world is a complex one, and this website will help you navigate some of the most interesting areas, some of the history, current products you can get right now, and where future research is taking us as a global community.
What solar options should I consider next?
Well, if you want to get into the whole history of solar energy, for many of you, you just want to know what are the basics of solar systems, is your home is a good property for solar power, and how much it all costs. Read on for a brief education in solar technology!
From solar powered hot water heaters, to solar assisted Air Conditioning systems, to solar attic fans and full photo-voltaic solar electric systems, it is covered here. In addition, if you decide you want to talk with a local expert and get a no-obligation price, ask your Installer – they can tell you about your own local utility & government incentives, plus much more.
Solar Electricity
A bunch of shiny panels on the roof of a house or commercial building - this is what most people think of when they hear the term solar-energy, solar-power, or solar electricity. These panels are actually called photo-voltaic panels (often referred to a 'PV'), and are made up of a bunch of photo-voltaic 'cells'. Each cell may be a few inches by a few inches square, and is actually a very thin sliver of a special crystal which is capable of converting sunlight into electricity.
In a solar photo-voltaic panel the sun's radiation is converted by a chemical reaction in the individual cells into direct-current electricity (or DC current – just like the charge from a regular household battery). The dozens of cells in a panel are connected by wires to a couple of cables that run off the back of the panel to a common channel on the roof. Here the cables from all the other panels join up and are connected into a product called an 'Inverter' – this is a gizmo that converts the DC current generated by the panels into AC (alternating-current) that can be used in your house.
Now the generated electricity can be primarily used in one of two ways, either grid-tied or off-grid.
Solar Grid-Tied Systems or 'Net Metering'
This is the most common application. Your utility company will typically swap your electric meter for a different one, often digital today, which has the ability to 'spin' backwards. When your PV system is generating more electricity than you need (for example during the day you are at work and the sun is beating down on your house which needs very little electricity), you will get paid by the utility company. Then when you come home in the evening & turn on lights, TV etc. and the sun isn’t shining on the panels, you pay the utility company. The idea is that you end up with a 'net' amount owed to the utility – or sometimes they may owe you!
Off-Grid Solar Systems or Battery-Backed Solar Systems
If you want to get rid of your electricity provider completely, you can go 'off-grid'. This means you'll get a system designed that's big enough to run your entire house's electrical needs, and then have that system backed by a bunch of large batteries. You can also take part of your house off the grid – if you live in an area where there are frequent storms and power-outages, you may want to have a system that powers some lights, ceiling fans & the fridge – It's all possible with a battery-backed off-grid system.
Sizing a Solar Electric System
Let's say your average electric bill is $300 per month, and you want to get rid of it completely, but a solar electric system big enough to do this would take double the roof space that you have. In this example you can put in half the power – basically getting rid of $150 per month.
Is my home solar-appropriate?
This question is typically best answered by your local solar specialist who will take a detailed look at your roof pitch and direction, shade from trees, shade from near-by buildings etc. Essentially you need to consider how many panels will fit onto your roof and face south, south east or south west. There are ways to mount solar panels on tilted racks so even north-facing roofs may be viable for solar power.
How much will a solar electric system cost me?
Typically systems are priced on a per-watt basis. These figures can vary widely based on your location, the local, State & Federal incentives available, utility company rebates, whether you're paying cash or financing, and so on. Broadly the starting price from an installer may be in the Rs.50 - 130 per watt,(it varies) and you'll probably be looking at a 5 to 10 kilowatt system for a typical house – so if you want a system to get rid of your electric bill completely, think in terms of tens of thousands of Rupees initially – though this figure can be reduced dramatically with rebates and incentives if applicable.
Is solar power a good investment - where's the planet heading with energy use?
Without a doubt, fossil fuels have a limited quantity, whether we're talking a few decades or a few hundred years, the inevitable dead-end of burning oil, coal & gas is there. Only eons of time can make more of that stuff, so we as a species have no alternative but to find an alternative! Since the sun will likely be around a lot longer than we can even begin to imagine, then converting its energy into forms we can use seems like the most logical long-term plan. 
No comments:
Post a Comment