How Does Solar Energy Work

By Marty Johnson

With energy prices rising higher and higher with no end in sight, these days, the question of how does solar power work is firing up the curiosity of many money-conscious families and individuals. A major concern for people considering going solar is the cost of equipment and installation, but federal and state grants to help defer these costs are becoming increasingly available. Notwithstanding what may seem like a high installation cost, using solar power in the home is a great option for the long term and the ongoing savings will soon off-set the initial outlay.


In both residential and commercial applications the basic concept of how does solar power work is exactly the same with the only difference being the scale of the installation requirements. A factory or warehouse is obviously going to require a larger amount of energy hence a more complex and more expensive installation would need to be in place.

In its most basic application, solar panels are a set of solar cells with a semiconductor that produces electricity when sunlight hits it. There are also solar panels that are made to heat the air and water in the building. When the solar panels produce electricity, it is transferred to the system's controller-regulator to adjust the voltage/amperage to what your system uses, then transfers for current electricity needs or to the batteries to be stored for future use.

There are three major components to a solar power system. The first is the photovoltaic panels, also known as solar panels or PV panels. The second is the current regulator or controller, which controls the voltage/amperage of the electricity that the solar panels generate. The third component is the storage system. This is typically an array of batteries used to store any energy that is created by the system and not need during the day.


Solar panels can vary greatly in cost depending on the type of installation you are aiming for. If your building is in a more remote area and is industrial you can use the typical boxy style roof mounted panels. In a business or industrial application solar panels can be installed not only on the much larger roof space offered by an industrial structure but additional panel arrays can also be installed on the ground offering additional power generation.


Solar panels are commonly mounted on rooftops with ground or pole mounts. The mounts provide added flexibility if your structure is accustomed to shade. To maximize the power generated, mechanisms can be attached to panels. This allows maximum sun exposure. One of the biggest downsides to solar installation is sunset. This is easily fixed by installing a battery array, a storage system, or simply using supplemental power from the utility power grid.


If you want a more discrete, dual purpose installation you can even have your structure constructed with solar cells built right into the roofing, awning and window materials. In a residential application using roofing materials with the solar cells built in will give you the same level of protection as an asphalt shingle while functioning as a solar panel, giving you more flexibility in design and reducing the chances your home will look like a space station.

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Renewable Energy - Is It Too Late?

By Eric Q. Duncan

Renewable energy, what could really be the right definition? As it is the general term for many different unconventional energy sources, it has to be all-encompassing. Gurus tell us that renewable energy is an energy source that we find naturally and to a great degree.

Most renewable energy sources are dependent on nuclear power. This nuclear power comes from the sun. In a huge nuclear reaction, the sun produces energy in the form of light and heat and this reaches the earth as natural sources of energy. The sun is the ultimate source of solar power, wind power, biomass energy and so on. Fossil fuels may be categorized under biomass energy, but are limitedly available and have plenty of disastrous side effects.

The US federal National Renewable Energy Laboratory has a good renewable energy program that researches the latest energy-saving building techniques. Scientists have realized that energy efficiency is the way to go, and this body educates people in this aspect.

They work together with the leading instances of the building industry, foreground endeavors to build using renewable energy and tell producers as well as consumers about what and how they can save money by using this form of energy. NREL also get together with agencies to set guideposts for buildings and other energy consuming gadgets.

Renewable energy use is beneficial for the environment in the polluted world of today. Wind and solar energy are two of the most prominent types of this energy. Biofuels, geothermal energy and wave or tidal power are fast becoming popular, though some of these may potentially harm the natural world.

Can you tell the difference between renewable and alternative energy?

Many people don't know the fine difference between the two. Renewable energy is fundamentally natural; it's the energy we get from the sun, wind or waves. Alternative energy, however, includes both bio fuels and nuclear energy sources which are not really healthy options for us to use.

The infrastructure we have is suited for fossil fuels, even though renewable energy or green energy more cost effective. Our government has not been busy taking any steps to change things and go in for green energy sources. With the present situation worsening every day, we have to get a change really soon.

If we try to find one positive thing about fossil fuels it could be that we can store the energy we get from them, which is more difficult with green energy sources. Solar power, for instance, is less effective in cloudy weather. Calm days there is not very much use of a windmill. This and initial costs to get energy from these unconventional sources are still a bit high, could be a small drawback as compared to traditional earth-killing sources of energy.

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Usefulness of solar energy in today's world.

By Ben V. Williams

The once expensive photovoltaic cells can now be obtained at a lower price as the process of producing them becomes easier and faster. These are produced at larger quantities and are smaller I size, thus making them possible for a reliable source of energy supply on a mass scale in the bear future. The prices have lowered to per watt per hour. 17 years ago, the price was doubled.

There's no question about how environment-friendly solar powered electricity generation is. This is an alternative form of energy production that does not emit any hazardous material into the environment and uses something that is naturally available as its source.

Today, solar cells are abundantly found on the rooftops of people's homes. You can use them without much trouble in heating your home, heating water and in producing power for all your needs . There it gets heated and is then supplied inside the home through pipes.

Photovoltaic cells of today enable you to gather heat from the sun and store it even if the sky is full of clouds or if there is a storm brewing. The technology used by Uni-Solar is an example of it.

In addition to the above system, there's another system available known as the PV system. The system is attached to the closest grid of electricity so if a home produces more electricity by its solar system, this energy is channeled into the grid, which can now utilize this energy for electricity production and will not have to depend wholly on hydroelectricity.

Using PV systems makes solar energy production economical for you, and also mitigates the problem of environmental pollution and helps to free up the grid from excessive pressure. Within some towns and suburban communities, such centralized solar collection arrays are becoming quite popular so that they can serve the entire region.

Worldwide, there has been an active interest among large scale corporations to enter into the arena of solar power generation and among other things, it shows how feasible this concept is. Google has already installed a 1.6 MW solar power generation plant on the roof of its headquarters while Wal-Mart will soon outdo this by installing a 100 MW solar power system of its own.

Countries such as Japan, Germany, Switzerland and America are providing benefits such as subsidies and tax deductions to people - whether individuals or companies - who install solar power systems for getting their supply of thermal and electrical power. This kind of interest will only help make it more and more popular and ultimately - affordable!

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How Electricity Is Made

By Michael Sullivan

Electricity is the backbone of our economy and our everyday lives. Production of energy is therefore very important to maintaining our style of life. Electricity is currently made mainly by the burning of fossil fuels (coal), nuclear fission, and with energy derived from water and wind.

Most forms of power plants produce electricity by turning turbines, which turn magnets to induce electrical currents in wire. There are various ways of making electricity:

Burning fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas and petrol. They can be burned to boil water in large furnaces or along heating pipes, and the heated water vapor can be used to drive large turbines. The products of burning are generally very hazardous to the environment. These fuels are also not renewable because they took millions of years to be created in the first place, so we shouldn't be depending on them for much longer - or they will run out.

Moving water. Hydroelectric dams are set up to channel water down into turbines so the falling energy of the water can drive them. Dams can also control and restrict the movement of water bodies which can be beneficial. The only problem is that local ecosystems may be affected.

Over ninety percent of all the alternative energy in the world is hydroelectric.

Wind power. Wind turbines can use propeller-like blades to directly turn a motor which will generate electricity. These wind generators may have to be high up in the air to gather enough wind in some places, but they are very environmentally sound.

Nuclear fission. There is a lot of energy in matter, and some unstable elements, like uranium or plutonium isotopes, can be used to generate a nuclear reaction which is then used to heat water, create vapor and turn turbines.

Solar power. Using the energy of the sun does not require that a turbine be turned. Light energy is converted to electrical energy when a high energy photon transfers its energy to an electron.

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Renewable Power - Wind, Solar and Wave Turbines

By Mike Sullivan

Fossil fuels are one day going to dry up, so we must start looking now for alternative and renewable sources of energy so that we can maintain our lifestyles. Fossil fuels may last for years to come, but we must be prepared when the oil stops pumping.

Wind, solar and hydroelectric energy have come a long way in recent years, and they are becoming more and more popular. As technology of those energy sources improves, they will become cheaper and eventually cheap enough to replace fossil fuels as our primary energy source.

There are many other good ideas in existence for renewable sources of energy, as well. One of these ideas is wave energy, which harnesses the energy in ocean and sea waves to power coastal cities.

Waves are one of the densest forms of energy in nature, so with a relatively small power plant you can generate a lot of power. Wave energy also doesn't stop, unlike power from the wind or sun might.

Australia, which is famous for its waves and surfing, has many of these wind generators in place powering homes in many of its coastal cities.

An example of a wave power plant in Australia sits just off the coast of a city just south of Sydney. The plant weighs about 500 tons and can power about 500 homes on the coast. It also desalinates 2000 L of sea water everyday, almost enough for all of those homes it powers.

It is built to survive almost any major storm, though it is fairly small in size. It produces about 500kW of power and it cost $4.7 million to create.

Wave energy is still fairly expensive, but many experts believe that as its technology develops it may have the best chance of any alternative energy to become less expensive than fossil fuels.

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Solar Power for Homes Is Main Stream Now

By Joe Johnson

Solar power for homes has come a long way since the boxy design of the solar panels most of us are familiar with. Tremendous advancements have been made in solar cell construction that allow many building materials to be manufactured with the solar cells incorporated into their design effectively turning them into virtually undetectable solar panels.


Solar power for homes is supplied through one of two systems. The first is a stand alone solar power system that functions as your sole source of electricity. The other type is a supplemental solar power system which can supply all of your homes electricity depending on sunlight availability, and can utilize the power company grid when solar power is not available.


The basic components to generate solar power for homes are the same whether you opt for a standalone system or a supplemental system. First you have the photovoltaic panels, commonly known as PV or solar panels, these panels are lined with a semi conductor or solar cell that turns the rays of the sun into electricity. This electricity is then routed into a regulator/controller that keeps the current at the voltage/amperage level your system is designed for. The electricity is then routed either into your homes electrical system or into a battery array or storage system that will keep that solar power available when the sun goes down.


As long as your house is hooked up to the power company's grid, you won't need to set up a separate storage system. However, setting up your own storage is more advantageous as your monthly utility bill be reduced further and you'll still have power even during an outage.


Supplementing or replacing your electricity needs with solar power for homes is becoming easier and more affordable than ever. Some building materials include roofing material, awnings, car port roofing and the edges of the panes in your windows. This type of solar panel is called Building Integrated Photovoltaics. When used in roofing material these panels offer the same level of home protection as asphalt shingles while functioning as a solar panel.

The set-up cost of converting to solar power for homes s the real disadvantage, as it can be quite expensive. But there are some things you can do about that. State and federal grants are there to assist you in setting up an alternative energy source for your home, taking some of the financial weight off your shoulders. While the federal rebate might vary from one year to the next, state rebates vary from one state to another; some states offer special low-interest financing as an additional incentive of the green variety along with any rebates.


Besides the fact that you'll make your home greener using solar power for homes, you'll also be seeing lots of "green" with all the savings on your utility bill. You may even be able to eliminate a utility bill altogether. A growing number of utility companies now have a metering program allowing you to sell to the power company any excess power produced by your solar power system. It certainly pays to go green!

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Solar And Wind Power Generation

By Adrian Fletcher

Solar and wind power in the home are probably the most widely used forms of alternative energy. When used in conjunction they form a totally green, round the clock hybrid energy system. They can even be wired into the utility grid connected system to supply the majority of your energy needs while the utility company functions as your backup energy source.

A solar power system will supply electricity generated by the rays of the sun. Solar panels lined with a semiconductor which generates electricity whenever the rays strike it can be installed either using a roof, pole, or ground mount. Such mounts are usually equipped with motors which let the panels be tilted during the course of the day so they can follow the sun's path.

The electricity generated by such systems is routed through a regulator/controller and then to an inverter to change the direct current to alternate current. Depending upon your installation, it may be sent to your battery array as direct current or to the electrical system in your home. When it is passed to your home, it can be used to power all your appliances just as the electricity from the grid may be currently doing.

Creating electricity is the same when using a wind power system, except that it is generated in the body of a turbine. The turbine is the huge, fan-like part with blades at the top of iron towers we sometimes see on hillsides.

In a wind power setup the wind turns the blades of the wind turbine the shaft of which is routed into a generator which as it spins creates the electricity. That electricity is then routed into your structure's electrical or storage system to provide power on its own or as a backup to your solar power.

With wind power, the most significant cost is the wind turbine. Still, the turbine will be more inexpensive than the total solar equipment you'll be required to purchase. The downside is that the turbine must be located in a spot far off the ground, usually needing to be mounted on top of a tower of some sort which can be expensive. The installation of solar power will probably require zoning authorization from the municipality and significantly more planning.

When you connect a solar power system with a wind power system, each part can operate in tandem to compensate and complement each other. Wind power can be produced at any time while solar has its natural limits based on the hours that the sun shines and bad weather. Conversely bad weather for a solar system maybe good weather for a wind generator. Both these systems can be built quite cheaply depending on the amount of power you want to create. Some guide suggests this figure could be as low as $400. However a professionally designed and installed system would cost much more than this.

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