Residential Solar Power
Solar Power for Homes
…is an idea whose time has come. For years, it’s been something that only those with plenty of money or extensive DIY skills could get into. Now, with the rise in fossil fuel prices, concerns over global warming and climate change, and changes in government grants and loans, more and more people are interested in owning a solar power home. Of course, solar energy has advantages and disadvantages, but residential solar power is now a genuine and viable option for many homes.
Residential Solar Panels
The first thing that many people think of when they look at residential solar power is solar panels (or solar pannels if you’re a bit over-enthusiastic with the “n” key!). Solar panels are more technically called “photovoltaic panels” or “PV panels” from “photo” (light) and “voltaic” (electricity). Mounted on a roof facing the sun, or on a stand on the ground, they convert sunlight into electricity which is either fed into the local power grid (”grid-tied”) or stored in large-capacity batteries in the solar powered home itself.
Because solar panels are made from delicate silicon wafers, to make or build solar panels yourself is not easy. However, ready-made cheap solar panels will become more available as the demand for them and the volume produced increases, and as new technologies like all-in-one plastic film panels become more common.
Solar Shingles
One excellent use for the newer film solar cells is built into solar roof shingles (also known as pv shingles or solar roof tiles). In these products, the actual roof covering itself is photovoltaic and generates electricity from sunlight, so there are no separate panels to mount on the roof, no mounts to leak, and the roof looks much more normal.
Solar Cars
Solar powered cars are still fairly rare at the moment, as most large-scale commercial effort has gone into hybrids for the consumer market. The demand for completely electric automobiles can only grow as gas prices rise, though, so we can expect to see solar cars and solar car kits become more available. The proven technology to make solar car exists right now, as compared to hydrogen fuel cell cars which are still a dream for the future.
One currently available line of electric vehicles is GEM electric cars. These are low speed short range cars suited for city center, neighborhood and job site uses.
Stay tuned as we investigate more options for your solar home, including solar powered fans, rv solar panels, solar power kits and even a solar refrigerator.
