Environmental Archive

One way to add much needed security to your home is by means of a motion lighting platform. To up the ante, you can go with solar powered motion lamps, to add efficiency and reduced electric bills to the aforementioned security benefit.

Motion sensor lamps can be an excellent choice for your home. These lamps offer the security of having a bright light shine into the eyes of any would be intruder, thus deterring them from staying on your property. You can choose from different types of motion sensor lamps, but no option gives you the energy saving and security benefits of solar motion lamps.

In this age where electric power is more scarce than ever, solar power is a great alternative because it is clean and environmentally safe. There is no pollution produced, no non-renewable resources used, and it costs far less than other power sources. If you aren’t using solar power but would want to go solar even the least bit, what you can do is buy yourself a set of solar motion lamps. Every small bit of solar power used decreases the world’s usage of less ecological methods.

Solar motion lamps work by collecting solar power during the day through solar cells located on the light. This allows the batteries to recharge and be fully operational in the evening. If you’re looking for top-of-the-line solar motion lamps, these models contain solar panels, which give them the advantage of working even during overcast weather. Motion lamps also have settings to customize. These settings can be adjusted in such a way that motion can be detected up to 90 feet away, and you can also customize the duration the lamp would shine when it senses motion. An infrared detector would act as the trigger for motion, and you need not worry as it is safe for both humans and animals. You can place your solar motion lamps anywhere you sense there may be trouble, may it be in the garage, at the side of your house, or by a post near your house.

Solar motion lamps usually use a strong LED lamp. The use of LED lamps saves energy, as they are not as wasteful as halogen lamps or traditional light bulbs. You can rest easy in the maintenance department because these motion lamps last long with their weather-proof construction that can withstand most heavy rains and snowfall.

Why go for a regular motion lamp when you can go for solar motion lamps – you are not only ensuring your family’s safety but going green while doing it. You can buy as few or as many lamps as you need – the bottom line is, you are doing the people you love a favor by providing them environmentally friendly security.

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Technorati Tags: Environmental, Reference and Education, solar energy

We all know that solar power is a form of energy that can help you save money while saving the earth. If you’re considering it for your home, here are the basics.

When sunlight is converted into usable energy, this is solar power at work in its basest form. Gadgets called photovoltaic or PV cells (and larger tiles and platforms) are responsible for collecting the sun’s rays and turning it into energy. The materials used in making these platforms include several materials, including silicone, that cause a special reaction when hit by the sun’s rays. As the sunlight hits these cells, the energy “slices” off negatively charged ions. This creates a magnetic field, a form of energy. The energy is then captured in small wires, which forms an electric current. The wires would be connected to an inverter that changes direct current to alternate. And when that does happen, solar can be used to power our everyday home appliances.

The best things in life are free, and that certainly includes solar power. Historically, the cost of capturing and maintaining solar power wasn’t cheap, but this has changed dramatically in the last ten years. It is now easier to set up a solar energy system at home, with lesser costs mostly related to the system and the installation. These are also very long-lasting systems that could be good for up to 50 years with little to no maintenance costs.

The option to get solar power is more exciting than ever due to some laws passed in certain parts of the United States. There are some states where homeowners can go solar and get a tax rebate for it. The relatively new process of net metering is now legal in more than half of the 50 states.

Net metering is a great way for you to reduce your utility bill and save huge amounts of money. Essentially, you are now allowed to “sell” power back to the utility companies at the same price they charge you. If your home is powered by solar energy, you can let solar do its thing in the daytime while using conventional electricity in the evening. The worst thing that could happen is a huge discount off your electric bill, while the best thing would be avoiding it completely – this, because your meter runs backwards. Just think of all the money you can save per year, or for the next few decades considering the lifespan of a solar power system. It is little surprise why solar power is such an enticing option these days.

At the end of the day, the question shouldn’t be to use solar power or not to use it. It should be why you haven’t found a way to make use of it yet.

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Technorati Tags: Environmental, Reference and Education, solar energy

Our electrical grids aren’t the way they used to be – therefore, solar energy is an option that’s rising in popularity. Not everyone realizes you can heat your home without buying big panel systems.

In order to go solar without those messy panels, solar gain is what is used to do the job instead. The average consumer would associate solar power with panel systems, but these systems aren’t a part of gain. Of course, this makes the installation a heck of a lot cheaper than going with traditional panel systems.

The concept of solar gain, believe it or not, has been around almost as long as modern man has. There was no such thing as electricity back in the prehistoric days. Since our ancestors needed a way to stay warm and keep their structures warmer, they relied on the sun’s rays for this. It is fairly humorous when archaeologists marvel at the fact ancient structures are always oriented to the sun. If they knew anything about solar gain, they would realize the structures were being used to produce thermal heating through masonry, openings and so on. These were solar gain heating’s earliest beginnings, though our ancestors never knew it at the time.

Let us use a very simple example to explain the modern concept of solar gain. Assume your car is safely parked in the lot in the summer heat, with the windows up. When you enter the car, what happens? You get stunned by a smothering burst of solar heat, that’s what. Now if your seats happen to be black or of a dark color, you’d be screaming gibberish and jumping like a kangaroo due to the heat when you sit down. You may have focused on the heat and the pain, but your car has actually been a platform for solar gain in this case. The sun came in the windows, heated up surfaces in the car and raised the temperature. And since the heat couldn’t leave your car quickly enough due to poor ventilation or other factors, this results in unbearable heat. Through this very quick everyday example, this is how solar gain works, and you can apply it in your everyday home life.

Solar gain at home works in this very simple way – if you take advantage of the potential for the sun to penetrate your home, you can have it converted into heat, then circulate throughout the different areas of your house. To accomplish this, one typically puts windows on the south side of the home to capture as much sunlight as possible. They would then commence the heat collection even after the sun goes down by installing masonry below the windows. Until the collected amount of heat is exhausted, your home could be sufficiently heated for as long as possible. Yes, it even works in winter.

Solar gain has been around for ages, and it still can be very effective. If solar gain is your cup of tea and you need more info, don’t hesitate to do a quick online search for more information.

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Technorati Tags: Environmental, Reference and Education, solar energy

Over the last fifteen years, solar energy has become a highly flexible power source. One of the best ways to use it and cut costs is go with solar lighting for your walkways.

A common misconception among many people is that solar energy requires large, bulky panels to work. While this is true if you want to produce large amounts of electricity for a structure, it leaves out a large segment of cheaper solar uses. The solar industry has made major advancements in creating one piece solar platforms that are cheap and can be used for practical purposes. You can use solar lights for pathways through these platforms.

Solar lighting is a versatile way to light your home as it can light up any part of it. The typical lighting set consists of two to six lights, all self-contained. The lighting mechanism would be operated by a metal or plastic stem found on top of the light. Also found on top of the light is a small solar panel that powers the light itself, together with LED technology. The lights can be purchased with or without backup batteries depending on your needs.

Following your purchase of solar lights, it is now up to you where you wish to place them in your home. Next, you put the solar lights in place by sticking them in the ground to a point where they are snug and will not blow over in the wind. You have done it! You have successfully set up solar lighting for your walkways without adding to your electricity costs.

Your lights will charge during the day and light up in the evening. Depending on the particular brand, the lights may stay on throughout the night. You can also opt for brands that last only up to 8 hours – these lights would only be able to work up to midnight or so.

Keeping your solar lights in good shape can be very easy. You really don’t have to do anything. Don’t get scared by dimming lights, because this doesn’t mean they are busted. Your solar panels may simply be dirty. Clean them off with water or follow the manufacturer direction. Once clean, the lights should work perfectly.

One great way you can slash your electric bill is to use solar lighting for certain needs, including outdoor lighting. You can use the same set of lights for years if you know how to keep them clean.

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Technorati Tags: Environmental, Reference and Education, solar energy

Given energy concerns these days, most homes are now designed to take advantage of passive solar heating concepts. One of these alternate ways would be solar thermal energy.

You can really save a lot on your electricity bills if you could somehow get some heating free of charge. This can be achieved by means of passive solar heating. It is a process wherein a home is built or upgraded in such a way as to catch and contain as much of the sunlight in the form of heat as possible. Solar thermal involves the concept of thermal mass, which we shall discuss in depth.

Thermal mass could define any object or material that is capable of attracting and storing heat. Thermal mass, when talking about solar thermal, would be materials that are good in attracting the sun’s rays, and even better at storing this heat and dispersing it when the sun is not around. You may not realize it, but your home already has thermal mass producing heat. Anything and everything exposed to the sun can be classified as thermal mass. Unfortunately, it is usually on a pretty small scale.

Often called intentional thermal mass, a passive solar home will have strategically placed materials that are very efficient at absorbing and radiating heat. While this may sound complex, it really is not. The best intentional thermal mass would be tiles, masonry and bricks. Other nice materials to serve as thermal mass are adobe and clay, in certain situations.

One important thing to remember is that the thermal mass needs to be located inside your passive solar home. Strategically placing tile and brick in areas below windows that receive significant sun during the day will often do the trick. You may need more thermal mass in certain conditions or locations. In states like Alaska or in the North, you will need a lot of thermal mass, while you wouldn’t need that much in states like Arizona and New Mexico.

The color that the thermal materials should come in is sometimes a point of contention. Since dark colors normally absorb a lot of heat, many believe that dark colors should be used for thermal mass. Color is actually irrelevant in passive solar. The main factor is not the color, but instead the material used. The only time color plays a part is if the materials are white, otherwise, any other color will do. This could play a large part in beautifying your house’s interior and avoiding a gloomy, sullen look to it.

You need to be well-versed in the concepts of thermal mass if you wish to make the most out of solar thermal energy. This should give you a head start.

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Technorati Tags: Environmental, Reference and Education, solar energy