alternate energy Archive

The Benefits Of Using Solar Power For Homes

By
Greg Purnell
Published: June 28, 2010Posted in: solar energyTags: , , , , , , , ,

You don’t need to be rich and famous anymore to use solar power, since solar systems are more affordable these days. There’s nothing wrong with being environmentally friendly. In fact, the Earth needs it because of the many problems it is currently facing, such as global warming. To generate electricity, fossil fuels are needed, but with the continuous burning of fuels, global warming will also become worse. Because of this fact, people are already opting for solar powered homes today.

There are several advantages to using solar power for homes. How much are you charged for electricity every month? Many homeowners are hurting because of the high cost of electricity. One way to lower your bills is to opt for solar power.

You don’t need to use any wiring when you use solar power systems. For example, for your garden lights and water fountains, you can use solar power. Many of these systems already have light sensors, so you don’t need to worry about turning them off. Solar lights are readily available and you just take them out and place them wherever you want to get some good light.

Solar power is environmentally friendly. It is a great source of renewable and clean energy. You won’t contribute to pollution with solar energy, unlike fossil fuels. By using solar powered systems like a solar cooker, solar thermal systems, and solar generators, you can work without creating emissions. And, you will help in saving the environment.

During the initial phase of using solar power, you will have to spend some money. Just think of it as an investment where you will benefit in the long run. For under $300, you can use solar power in your home. Solar power is free to use, since you will use the sun’s energy to create electricity. You can make use of solar lights, solar panels, etc.

Don’t cut off your conventional electricity supply, though, even when you’re using solar power. It’s not sunny all throughout the year and so you will need to use traditional electricity during rainy days. The best thing about solar power is that you can decrease your monthly electric bill. If you can convert your home into a full solar powered house, you can benefit greatly and you won’t worry even if fuel prices increase.

Power outages occur when there are electrical problems, but with solar power, you can enjoy using your electrical appliances without interruption. For those who want to use solar power, you can start with a simple project like the water features and lights in your garden. These items are easy to install and you don’t need any wiring.

In everything you find here on earth, there are advantages as well as disadvantages. True enough, solar power has many advantages, but you also need to consider the disadvantages. You need to weigh things first, before you consider opting for solar powered homes.

Today, you can easily purchase solar powered devices like flashlights, pool purifiers, ventilators, mosquito inhibitors, heaters, fountain pumps, radios, lighting, and many other types. Prepare to spend a little money upfront for the solar power devices, but don’t worry. After several months, you will start saving a lot of money on your monthly bills. Think of it as a one-time investment, which in the future, will surely pay off in huge savings.

Learn more about the advantages of solar power. Stop by Greg Purnell’s site where you can get a Free Report on home solar power kits and how you can easily get started.

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How To Reduce Energy Bills By Changing Simple Light Bulbs

By
Terry O'Reilly
Published: June 25, 2010Posted in: Green EnergyTags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

You’ve heard it many times before, probably to the point of hating the phrase, but the truth is that you can save yourself a substantial chunk of change each month by switching out your incandescent and halogen bulbs for a more efficient option. If you are doubting the real world saving that you can expect from using energy efficient lighting, this simple calculation will help you to figure it out very accurately.

To calculate the cost of running your present halogen or incandescent bulbs all you need is the wattage of the bulbs, the price you’re paying per kilowatt hour (found on your power bill), and a calculator. Now I’ll walk you through an example.

(Note: Kwh means Kilowatt hours.)

Watts x hours in use per day = total watts used per day.

Watts used each day divided by 1000 = Kwh used each day.

Kwh per day x 30 = Kwh per month.

Kwh/month x cost/Kwh = cost per month.

Employing this method we can easily figure out the cost of running a 100 watt incandescent or halogen light bulb. A bulb like that in your sewing room might well be on for 10 hours per day. (No, that’s not an overstatement. Lots of lights run more than an average of 10 hours per day, especially in winter.). As a for instance, we’ll use twelve cents per kilowatt hour as your electricity cost, though this might be a low estimate depending where you live. Check your electric bill to see what your actual cost is per kilowatt hour.

10 hours run time for a 100 watt bulb = 1000 watts per day.

1000 watts used each day = 1 Kwh daily.

1 Kwh per day x 30 days = 30 Kwh per month.

30 Kwh x 12 cents/Kwh = $3.60 per month. That’s how much it costs to run a single 100 watt bulb.

To discover how much a compact fluorescent bulb would save, we follow the same steps. A 23 watt compact fluorescent will usually replace an incandescent bulb of 100 watts; if you are used to halogen bulbs you may want to use a somewhat higher wattage, such as 25 or 27.

10 hours times 23 watts = 230 watts daily.

Divided by 1000 = total of 0.23 Kwh per day.

30 days multiplied by 0.23 Kwh = total of 6.9 Kwh.

6.9 Kwh x $.12 = $.83 per month. That’s a reduction of $2.77 (or 77%) in one month for one bulb.

Swapping 10 halogen or incandescent 100 watt bulbs for compact fluorescents would put $27.70 back in your wallet each month.

To figure out exactly how much you would save by replacing all your bulbs with compact fluorescents, simply use the same calculation, matching the wattage of your present bulbs with their energy efficient equivalent. Since you can now find these bulbs in a wide array of sizes and styles, with numerous bases for various fixtures, it’s not hard to make this change. Also, a lot of compact fluorescent bulbs are now available in versions that are compatible with a dimmer switch, and you can replace your outdoor bulbs as well because they come in heavy duty styles.

The initial cost of a compact fluorescent bulb will be higher, yes. The added cost will not eat up your savings, though; apart from the decreased power costs, compact fluorescent bulbs will typically have a much greater lifespan than halogen or incandescent bulbs. A gradual change to energy efficient lighting, by changing a small number of bulbs each month, will help to distribute the extra cost of these lights; the reduction in your electrical cost will pay for the bulbs during the first two months.

You’ll want to retain your receipts for the compact fluorescent bulbs because they are typically covered by a long term warranty. To make sure you can claim a replacement bulb on the guarantee if necessary, jot down a note on the packaging or the receipt indicating which bulbs were put into each fixture.

Using energy efficient light bulbs can certainly save you a nice chunk of change, and you can visit the Energy Resources Journal for more energy saving strategies to cut power bills even more.

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Make Money And Energy With A Solar Panel And Grid Tie Inverter

By
Robert Leverett
Published: June 13, 2010Posted in: solar energyTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

We are all of us these days encouraged to preserve money, save energy, and save the planet.

One plan could be using alternative energy, to this aim I want to promote solar panels with a grid tie inverter.

The electricity made by the solar panel of about 20 volts could be from any additional renewable resource such as hydropower electricity.

The solar panel voltage now has to be raised to home voltage in order to save cash.

The DC from the solar panel is converted by the grid tie inverter into the AC that is used in the home.

The grid tie inverter is designed so that it does not require special boxes to link to the mains, but only needs to be plugged into a wall socket. The electronics in the circuits of the inverter make the join safely.

So the uncomplicated combination of, solar panel and grid tie inverter will supply the home with power, which you would have to buy from a company, for all the time the sun was shining.

Safety is a significant ingredient with the new grid tie inverter, because current will only feed when the household power is on. This removes any danger of power being fed back up the power lines. But if the power fails the grid tie automatically disconnects.

Adding grid ties and solar panels will permit more power to fed into the home. If no power is being used in the house, if all are away at work, the meter will run backwards, neatly making the power company pay you.

This is a straight forward and efficient system to install, cost effective and will save money in the long run. Nomally the solar panel would charge batteries and a power inverter would feed electricity to the home from them. helpful at night but costs extra in setting up.

You cannot replace the power company with a grid tie, but it will save money and you will sense you are doing your bit.

I Know many of you are anxious to save your dollars, power and do your bit to save the planet. But Solar Panels and batteries, the size and cost with ALL those batteries Well NOW YOU DON’T have to because the GRID TIE Inverter, it’s simple and easy – It just plugs in. You need to find out more?

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