Solar panels are devices that convert light into electricity. Solar panels are dropping in price, but they still are not cheap, so if you’re switching to solar it’s a great time to also carefully evaluate your electricity use. Call your utility company and get an “energy audit” and follow the recommendations. Most homeowners can cut their use of electricity or gas by anywhere from 5% to 30%. By cutting your power usage to an absolute minimum you can purchase only the expensive solar panel capacity that is required for your home. PV (photovoltaic) solar panels are made from solar cells which are a semiconductor material.

Electricity

The process for creating electricity from sun light is rather complex, but all you need to know is that photons collide with electrons in the semiconductor material and essentially free them up to flow when hooked up to a battery. This flow of electrons is what makes an electrical current.

The average household uses 30kwh of electricity per day. Electrical utility companies are required by law to accommodate “net metering”. This means that you can sell your excess power back to the power company. Thus, if you are out at work on a sunny day, or go on a two-week skiing vacation and aren’t using any electricity, the power being created by the solar panels is going back into the grid to the utility company. In other words every kilowatt-hour of electricity produced by a solar energy system ends up being used to the advantage of the homeowner, either as power to run appliances when the homeowner is there or as a dollar-for-dollar credit provided by the utility company for power that is not being used.

Cost

The most important component of the PV solar panel system will probably be the amount of subsidy you are eligible for. Since some utility companies need to meet goals for the amount of renewable energy they furnish, there are some very attractive rebates offered at times. These can be large rebates indeed, up to 50% of the cost of a system or even higher. This can make a system that would support the average 30 kwh per day home cost roughly $20,000 rather than $40,000! In addition, there is a $2,000 tax credit offered by the federal government. However, this is not always the case. In our local area of Colorado there are several utility companies that service the region. One offers a 50% rebate as described above. Another offers a 66% rebate, and a third offers no rebate at all. So you need to check with your utility company to see what rebates, if any, apply to your location. You should also contact a solar panel contractor who can give you lots of information about system costs, and of course they will probably know the rebates offered in your local area. Typical PV solar panels cost about $4 per watt before installation. Installation is a major expense, however, and in the example cited above with a 50% rebate, final system costs will amount to about $6.50- $7.00 per watt installed.

Batteries

Batteries are required in stand-alone systems to provide energy during night hours. These can be very expensive, but if you have an isolated cabin, an RV, or some other need for power and don’t have access to the public power grid, a solar system with batteries is certainly a solution.

Conclusion

When you consider the costs of a full blown PV solar system which will cut your electric bill down to zero or close to it, you get one other benefit. The value of your property increases with such a system, and your property taxes will not increase because of this added value. In addition to the satisfaction of cutting down your carbon footprint significantly, your system will eventually pay for itself, and your property will be worth more as well. Keep these factors in mind when you calculate your pay-back period.

If you’ve been looking to find out how much a solar panel costs you really have to look no further. The main reason I am writing this article is to make the clear difference between the cost of a professional solar panel and DIY homemade solar panel that you can build all by yourself. If you decide to build the solar panel on your own you can save a few thousand dollars and still live off the grid.

Installing professional solar panels is quite costly

There are a lot of firms these days that offer professional services to assemble solar panels in your home. However we’ve done a little research and to be honest they don’t come cheap at all. If you decide to install a professional solar power system then you can expect to pull out of your pockets as much as three thousand dollars or even more. For those that can afford to spend thousands on solar panels and the installation process it’s not a bad decision however you don’t need to waste your money when there are tens of DIY guides available right now and you can build the solar panels on your own.

Building your own homemade solar power system and reduce the costs by thousands of dollars

Thousand of houses in the U.S. alone are living off the grid at the moment. Renewable energy can be generated now by homemade solar panels and you can build them on your own even if you are a DIY novice simply following an inexpensive DIY guide.

Some guides will teach you step- by-step how to assembly and properly install a solar power system in your home from scratch. Some DIY guides will even teach you how to get all the components for pennies, in fact the whole system should not cost you more than two hundred dollars.

You don’t need to spend thousands on solar panels and the installation costs to harness the endless benefits of solar energy when you can simply choose to buy a cheap DIY guide and start building your own homemade solar panels with ease. You will not only be saving hundreds each month but you’ll get the satisfaction of living off-grid and going green at the same time.

If you’re tired of high electricity bills discover how thousands of families worldwide benefit from homemade solar panels to power their homes.

For more information on how to build your own homemade windmill read our Earth4Energy Review

Installing a home solar power system in your residence is good for the environment. A typical 10 KW system over the 25 year lifetime eliminates more than 400 pounds of nitrogen oxide which produces smog, eliminates more than 1000 pounds of sulfur dioxide which creates acid rain and eliminates more than 200 tons of carbon dioxide which contributes to global warming. Above all government is giving tax incentives to install home solar power to consumers to reduce carbon footprint.

Requirement

Home solar power systems can be installed on almost all homes except for a very small home which have less than 120 square feet of roof. The largest of the system requires about 1000 square feet of roof. The system requires direct sunlight and it works almost everywhere. If there is not enough space on roof or if there is a problem of direct sunlight then it can even be installed on ground or some other elevated space. In most cities you require building permit to install home solar power system to your building. Your dealer and installer know how to obtain the necessary permits. You will also require permission from the utility company since this system works with your current utility.

Working of the System

Home solar power system is installed on the roof where the solar energy is transformed into direct current (DC) power. Then this DC power is converted into alternating current (AC) power for residential use. This generated AC power is then used around the house to run all the appliances like refrigerator, television, electric lamps, computers etc.

At night this home solar power system will not work. During night time you sill need to draw power from local utility. Most of the home solar power systems are interconnected with you utility. Your utility would provide power as usual at night and during day when your electricity demand exceeds that produced by your home solar power system. In case of cloudy days the home solar power system generates less power. Part of the power produced by your home solar power system during the day time is used to charge the batteries which provide power for your critical loads in the event of a power outage, day or night.

Home Heating

There is a misconception that home solar power can heat a home, which is not true. The system is used to convert the solar energy into electrical energy and this energy is then used to run your appliances, lights and other electrical devices. If you have electric heater in your home then you can use this system to heat the home which is rare. There are other technologies which convert solar energy into heat but this home solar power system is not used for home heating.

Home solar power systems don’t have any moving parts and solar modules are also tough. Components may last many years without problem.

Other Advantages

In addition to the direct savings through utility cost, homeowners have one more advantage and that is the property resale value. For every dollar saved annually in utilities the value of the house is increased anywhere from 10 to 20 dollars.

Home solar power is often considered as the most effective means of reducing your electric bills. If you wish to benefit through solar power energy, you need to be well aware that a home solar option is readily available through online stores. If you are tired of unreasonable power cuts and wish to benefit through a regular supply of electricity, you need to take advantage through home solar options. Listed below are a few advantages of opting for solar power energy.

Home Solar Power Is Readily Available

Solar power energy is abundant in nature and it is also said to be a renewable source for power generation. Hence, when the need of the hour is to pick suitable home solar power systems, you need to research well and then apply your facts to good use. Home solar options can be had through the means of a secured site and while most may appear expensive, there are a few which are really inexpensive and long lasting as well. Home solar power systems are also considered essential to meet your energy requirements as they are promoted by the government agencies.

Solar Power Energy Can Be Harnessed Through Your Backyard

The second advantage of a home solar option is that it can be harnessed through your backyard. Home solar power systems work on the basis of assembled kits which can be obtained through the means of the World Wide Web. Solar power installations can be ordered online. They come in the form of a kit, which has an instructions manual as well. Simply follow the manual book and you can ensure that your solar power installations are in perfect order. Solar power kits have the ability to be used and built from home. Hence, they can be utilized by just about any human being-you need not be a technical viz to harness solar powered electricity from home.

Solar Power Cost Is Very Low

The third advantage of setting up a home solar power option is the saving in terms of electricity bills. Solar power cells, which are used in producing electricity, are affordable and long lasting. Once you have them installed in your roof, you can be rest assured that they would carry on for the rest of your life. You only cost is the initial purchase of the solar powered kits and the installation charges. Nowadays, there are solar power kits which are available for under a hundred dollars. Such options can be had through the means of a reputed online manufacturer only. Thereafter, the total cost of power generation is nil and you not only generate power for your home, you also never actually spend a dime while doing so.

Solar Thermal Power Is Pure

With the rise in air pollution and the reduction in the ozone layer, the chances are that your conventional sources of energy may prove to be a hindrance to the future generations. This is when solar thermal power comes into picture. Over here, not only are your electric bills reduced drastically, you also have a chance of keeping your environment neat and tidy. This is so as solar energy is a clean energy resource and it does not emit any harmful chemicals in the atmosphere. Hence, whenever solar energy is produced from home, it is considered a blessing in disguise for the environment.

Solar Power Cells Are Noiseless

As compared to the usual sources of energy, the solar power cells, which are generally used in a solar powered grid, are noiseless in nature. Hence, if you are using solar generated power for your household uses, you are indirectly saving your environment from excessive noise pollution. At the same time, the energy which is generated is never wasted and can be easily stored for future use.

When you think of solar powered homes you think of a home totally powered by state of the art expensive solar panels but that need not be the case. Solar power is now becoming less expensive these days and is more popular than ever.

Solar electric systems are also known as photovoltaic or PV systems and are reliable and pollution-free. They take their power from a free and renewable source of energy that has been with us since the beginning of time – The Sun. Home solar power solutions are becoming more and more affordable over time for providing solar home power. Dont worry because you don’t have to fork out hundreds of dollars to get started.

How Does It Work?

Well solar home energy is provided by solar panels also known as Photovoltaic (PV) solar cells. They create electricity directly from the sun and will function any time the sun is shining. Considerably more electricity is generated when the sunlight is stronger. In simple terms, the sun has to strike the PV modules at a perpendicular angle to generate the electricity. Electrons are released by the interaction of sunlight with semiconductor materials in PV cells and the electrons are captured in an electric current. The PV panels are connected to an inverter unit in your property that converts the resulting the direct current (DC) into alternating current (AC). The inverter is connected to and powers your appliances. It’s also connected to a meter which monitors electricity consumption. Ok that’s enough techie stuff!

PV systems allow you to produce electricity for a solar energy home without noise or air pollution-from a clean, renewable resource and it is a continuous energy source that never depletes. How cool is that?

Things to consider before purchasing

Prior to buying a PV system for a solar power home there are at least two considerations that you need to make.

1. Solar power will be intermittent because electricity is only produced when the sun is shining. This wont be too much of a problem if you are connected to the Electricity Grid as any additional electricity power requirement will automatically be delivered to you. If you aren’t then you can purchase batteries to make up the shortfall but these can be expensive.

2. It can require an initial large investment. It’s basically like paying for years of electricity upfront. Having said that you don’t have to you DO NOT need to invest $1,000’s in costly solar panels or windmills to transform your home into an energy producing “green home” You can just buy the components you need and make your own panels and use them to power a few electrical appliances. That way you can gradually build up to the level of alternative power provision that you want. You can even build them yourself with a few common materials and save yourself money.

Financing your PV system

If you want to use home solar panels extensively for moreorless total home solar power, probably the best way to finance it is through a mortgage loan. Mortgage financing options include your primary mortgage; a second mortgage, or a home-equity loan that is secured by your property. There are two advantages to mortgage financing.

1. Mortgage financing usually provides longer terms and lower interest rates than other loans, such as conventional bank loans.

2. The interest paid on a mortgage loan is generally deductible on your federal taxes (subject to certain conditions ). If you buy the PV system for solar power for homes at the same time that you buy it , you can consider including it in the cost.

Adding the cost of the PV system to your mortgage loan is likely to be relatively simple. It is also one way to avoid additional loan application forms and fees.

Why would you want to use solar power?

There are many reasons why you might want to convert to use PV units for solar power. – To help preserve the Earth’s finite fossil-fuel resources and reduce air pollution.

1. The desire to make ones property more energy efficient.

2. The security and satisfaction of reducing the amount of electricity you buy from the utility company

3. Getting one over the profitable utility companies because 4. By law the utility company has to pay you back for any excessive electricity power that you generate and don’t use at the current market price. That’s great for us consumers.

Whatever your reason, solar energy is widely thought to be the energy source of choice for the future. To find out more about solar and wind powered domestic units for life, visit http://www.windsolarlife.com