If you have been concerned about the rising energy costs in your area, it might be a good time to look at ways in which you can save money with solar energy. Various areas in the world run on different power sources, which most of these sources being problematic in some way. The main problem is that even energy sources that are renewable use some sort of oil power to maintain them. This automatically increases the costs associated with the energy source, which is then passed onto the consumer. The vast majority of people are prepared to pay whatever the oil companies see fit, but you do not have to be one of these people if you are able to harness the money saving power of solar energy.

Durability

One of the most common ways in which people use solar energy is through solar panels. While these panels are somewhat expensive to install, they save you money over the years because of their durability. When you purchase a panel, it can provide you with energy for about 30 years. There are no other sources of energy that can come close to matching that level of durability. In addition, since it is at a one-time cost, you will be supplied with free green energy for many of these years after your original purchase. If you are a homeowner, having free energy coming into your home really adds up in a short period of time.

Power Levels

Another way in which solar power saves you money is by creating an unlimited amount of power for you. If you are running on gas power, you can use as much energy as the gas company will provide for you. Eventually, the planet will run out of fossil fuels and the gas company will no longer be able to provide you with this energy. As these levels get lower, oil companies will charge an even higher premium, which will cost you even more money. Solar power, however, is infinite because it comes directly from the sun. Since no one owns the sun, you can never be charged for harnessing as much of this power as you wants.

Taxes

While it might be a roundabout way to save money through solar energy, many locations will provide you with a tax break if you switch to solar power. It really depends on where you live, but some locations have made it very lucrative to switch over to alternative energy sources. In Australia, for example, the federal government supplies its citizens with an $8,000 grant for spending $16,000 on solar panels. When you factor in the monthly savings on your energy bill, it really makes sense to switch under those circumstances. As solar energy options become more readily available, we will likely see other countries jump on board with similar tax benefits.

Flexible Set Up

A common gripe with solar energy is that it costs so much to get started. This, however, does not have to be the case if you are smart about it. Your entire energy system does not have to be installed at once, as you can slowly add to it over the years. If you have enough money for one solar panel right now, you can install the first one and then wait to install a second. Having that first panel up will save you a little bit of money, as it can be used to store energy for when you need it. You can probably install these panels yourself as well, which saves money if you have to do it in multiple steps, since you will not have to hire someone each time.

Storing Energy

As was mentioned before, you can store your solar energy for when you need it the most, as long as you have a capacitor. If you produce too much solar energy for your home, you can either release this energy into a pool, where others would be able to use it, or you can store it for yourself. If you store the energy, you can use it whenever you wish. This comes in particularly handy if you have a prolonged period without much sunlight, as you can continue to rely on solar power. It is also useful during a blackout, as you can keep your house powered while the rest of the neighborhood is dark. Storing energy prevents you from having to rely on gas when you are not producing enough solar energy, which saves you money each time a cloudy period hits.

Other Methods

Solar power can also help you save money in smaller ways throughout the year, as long as you are smart about it. If you use flashlights when camping, bring a solar powered version to save on the cost of batteries. You can usually find radios that run on solar power as well, saving you additional money. All you have to do is remember to put the light or radio out in the sun during the day and you can enjoy the power when it is needed.

A simple way to harness some solar power to save money is to use black sheets on your bed or black curtains on your windows. If you do this during the winter months, you will find that your bed or room is warmer when you get into bed at night. This is because these black items store solar power naturally, which can cut down on how much you have to spend on heating your home each month. With so many ways to use the power of the sun, you should be able to find a money saving method soon.

About the Author: M.H is sharing his knowledge and passion about renewable energy sources at Alternative Energy Geek.com.

With the increased importance of going green, more and more homeowners are beginning to consider clean energy options for their home. The alternative energy industries are relatively new so many consumers aren’t fully informed about the choices they have and the benefits and drawbacks of each. Wind and solar power are two growing alternative energy markets that many people speculate will play a critical role in sustaining our planet. While both wind and solar are clean energy sources, it is important to learn the pros and cons of each in order to determine which option is best for your home.

One benefit of wind power in comparison to installing a solar PV system is the lower initial cost. Studies have shown that the total cost per kWh produced is less for wind power. Therefore, at this time it is apparent that wind power is typically more cost effective than solar. Even though the initial cost of wind may be lower than solar, it is important to also consider the maintenance costs that will incur throughout the life of the system. Because PV systems have no moving parts, they require very little maintenance and can be operated unmonitored for extended periods of time. Every once in a while, the dust and dirt needs to be removed from the solar panels which can easily be done by spraying them off with water. On the other hand, due to the moving parts that comprise a wind turbine the system is much more complex and difficult to maintain. Another benefit of installing a solar system in comparison to a wind turbine is the unobtrusive nature of the system. In addition to the large size of a wind turbine, they tend to produce a considerable amount of noise in high wind conditions. Solar systems on the other hand make no noise and aren’t distracting to the residents. When considering these options, it is important to also factor in the local climate and weather patterns. Solar produces more energy during summer months, whereas wind tends to produce more during winter months. Some areas experience windy conditions and are therefore great for producing wind energy. In sunnier climates however, solar may be much more advantageous. The orientation of the home and yard space available also factor in to the feasibility of each system. Wind turbines are fairly large and require a large amount of yard space. They also need to be situated away from trees or structures that may obstruct the flow of the wind and hinder the efficiency of the system. For a solar PV system, an unobstructed Southern facing roof space is an ideal space to install the solar panels. As long as there is little or no shading and a large enough surface area, most roofs can accommodate a PV system. Investing in a clean energy source is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint and save on future electric costs. When determining which is the best energy source for your home it is important to consider the location and orientation of your home and property, as well as the initial and future costs of each system. Having these clean energy options is great for the future of our planet. Both alternatives are very promising, so it’s now a matter of homeowners discovering which option is the most feasible for their home.

Health and Safety Best Practice with your Solar Panels-

Since they became something homeowners and environmentalists could install around their own properties, solar panels have proved incredibly popular. But whether you want them to save money or save the planet, it is important to have things like safety signs around to protect others.

Solar panels aren’t cheap, so if you do happen to be investing in them and are not confident of your own DIY skills, it may be advisable to contact a professional. The complexity of the installation will depend entirely on the make, model, size and position you choose – so think very carefully about whether or not it is something you will be happy doing on your own.

If you do decide to take on the project yourself, it is best to be prepared. Even if you are only installing compact solar panels, it is likely to be a messy task and will require electrical equipment and tools. Therefore, warning or hazard signs might be useful while you are doing the job. Of course, this is something to consider whenever you tackle a home improvement project – especially if yours is a family home where inquisitive hands are likely to be around.

When you start the installation process, try to do some research to help you understand roughly how your solar panels or system is going to work. If you don’t have at least some knowledge of the reasons why you are drilling holes and stringing cables up all over the outside and inside of your home, you are more likely to come unstuck – or worse still, damage the equipment itself before you’ve even had chance to enjoy its benefits.

If all of this sounds too complex, rethink the possibility of employing a professional. You’ll want to figure out whether the panels are to be flush against the roof of your property or tilted up, as well as whether they need individual panel mounts. This is all information that a qualified person will be able to help you with – so don’t hesitate to contact one if you find yourself scratching your head! Regardless of who ends up putting them in though, make sure you fit trip hazard signs where necessary to make sure people are a aware they are there.

Solar panels can be a great addition to your home and, in the long term, could help you save money on your energy bills. Installing them properly will help you make the most out of them too and reduces the risk that they will need attention or replacement later on.

Canadian Church Goes Green with Solar-

Saskatoon, Canada-based Holy Family Catholic Church has found a way to benefit from their yearly 2,381 hours of sunlight by implementing solar cells into their stained glass windows. The project is expected to produce enough energy for around five average homes annually. Over 1,000 solar cells will be fused into the stained glass panels by Sarah Hall Studio Solar Windows. Company founder, Sarah Hall, says, “By forging an image with a source of energy we create a powerful story about how we can live in this world: it gives us a chance to dream about who we can be.” The project cost $675,000 total, and should be installed sometime this spring. Sarah Hall’s solar-inspired art was also recently implemented in a tower at the University of British Columbia.

U. of I. Research Reveals Inefficiency in Virtually All Solar Cell Applications-


Although silicon is actually the market common semiconductor in most electric devices, which includes the photovoltaic cells that sun panels employ to convert sunlight into power, it is hardly the most effective material available. For instance, the semiconductor gallium arsenide and connected substance semiconductors give nearly twice the performance as silicon in solar units, but they are rarely utilized in utility-scale applications mainly because of their excessive manufacturing value. U. of I. teachers J. Rogers and X. Li investigated lower-cost methods to produce thin films of gallium arsenide which also allowed adaptability in the sorts of devices they can be included into. If the cost of gallium arsenide and other compound semiconductors were substantially reduced, then a broader range of applications may be feasible. Usually, gallium arsenide is deposited in a single thin layer on a little wafer. Either the ideal device is created directly on the wafer, or the semiconductor-coated wafer is cut up into chips of the preferred dimension. The Illinois team decided to put in several levels of the material on a simple wafer, producing a layered, “pancake” stack of gallium arsenide thin films. If you grow 10 levels in 1 growth, you only have to fill the wafer 1 time. If you do this in 10 growths, loading and unloading with heat range ramp-up and ramp-down get a lot of time. If you take into account what is necessary for every growth – the equipment, the planning, the time, the people – the overhead saving this approach offers is a important price decrease.

Next the experts independently peel off the layers and transport them. To accomplish this, the stacks alternate layers of aluminum arsenide with the gallium arsenide. Bathing the stacks in a formula of acid and an oxidizing agent dissolves the levels of aluminum arsenide, freeing the individual small sheets of gallium arsenide. A soft stamp-like system selects up the levels, one at a time from the top down, for transfer to another substrate – glass, plastic-type or silicon, depending on the application. After that the wafer could be used again for another growth. By executing this it’s possible to generate significantly more material much more quickly and more cost effectively. This process could make mass quantities of material, as opposed to simply the thin single-layer method in which it is generally grown. Freeing the material from the wafer also opens the possibility of flexible, thin-film electronics made with gallium arsenide or some other high-speed semiconductors. To make units that could conform but still maintain higher efficiency, which is considerable. In a document written and published on-line May twenty in the magazine Nature, the team explains its procedures and displays three types of products utilizing gallium arsenide chips made in multilayer stacks: light devices, high-speed transistors and solar cells. The authors additionally offer a detailed price evaluation. One more advantage associated with the multilayer approach is the release from area constraints, particularly crucial for photovoltaic cells. As the layers are taken out from the stack, they could be laid out side-by-side on an additional substrate in order to make a significantly larger surface area, whereas the standard single-layer process restricts area to the dimension of the wafer. For solar panels, you want big area coverage to catch as much sunshine as achievable. In an extreme case we may grow enough layers to have 10 times the area of the conventional. After that, the team programs to investigate more potential item applications and other semiconductor materials which might adapt to multilayer growth.

About the Author – Shannon Combs shares knowledge for the residential solar panels weblog, her personal hobby blog focused on ideas to aid home owners to conserve energy with sun power.

Peel and Stick Solar Golf Cart Chargers for Maximum Energy Yield-

In this budding age of sustainability, EarthCare Green Products has come out with a fresh thin film solar initiative that promises better efficiency than standard hard panels. These pioneering peel and stick solar golf cart chargers use amorphous solar cells with strong light absorption capabilities, and are coated with an Ethylene Propylene Copolymer tape – industrial grade tape formulated with reinforced rubber – which is high performance, non-drying and non-hardening for maximum efficacy. The peel and stick kits are all-inclusive with wire harness, solar panel, primary change controller, fuse holder, battery harnesses and full installation instructions. Panels weigh just around 4 lbs each and installation is simple, requiring only two individuals and about 15 minutes. Kit costs vary from around $700-to $1,595 per panel, and buyers are eligible to receive a 30 percent federal tax credit. EarthCare guarantees excellent product performance for three years, but assure that they can well perform for more than ten years. For additional information, check out EarthCare Green Products.

Santa Clarita-Based BioSolar Working to “Green-ovate” the Solar Power Industry-


The solar industry has crossed major hurdles in the last decade, working diligently to become the ideal source of green, renewable energy. However, certain obstacles still remain; petroleum engineering in solar cell mechanisms is becoming increasingly more expensive due to constant climbing oil prices and is considered environmentally impure, as it is a form of crude oil. In light of these issues, solar engineers have employed the use of bio-based plastics which are made from all-renewable plant resources. Nonetheless, these manufactured bio-plastics have been unreliable in the past for solar cell purposes because of their delicate molecular composition and low melting properties when exposed to high temperatures; making traditional bio-plastics a wavering option for solar cell fabrication. Dr. David Lee, of BioSolar Inc., has fashioned a solution for standard bio-plastics currently available on the market; introducing a robust protective backing for solar cells derived from cotton and castor beans, which may possibly revolutionize the solar power industry as we know it today. The company, centered in Santa Clarita, CA, is the primary initiator of this resilient bio-based plastic, which substantially reduces solar manufacturing costs and entirely ceases any need for petroleum exploitation. Through the complex manipulation of bio-based materials, BioSolar plans to generate dependable bio-plastics which meet the stringent thermal and durability requirements of current solar cell manufacturing processes. These bio-plastics are expected to cost 25 percent less than Tedlar, the petroleum-based film made by DuPont, which is used by most silicon-based solar cell producers today.

BioSolar materials can be applied in every aspect of solar cell manufacturing such as injection molding and thin film roll-to-roll, module and panel components, as well as superstrate or substrate applications. The company prototype is projected to ease the cost-per-watt utilizing these bio-polymers, whether working with crystalline silicon, amorphous silicon or other solar automation; with the same permanence offered by conventional petroleum-based plastics. Furthermore, by completely eliminating the use of petroleum in solar cells, BioSolar has turned solar into a 100 percent viable resource of green, renewable energy. The company has a two-phase strategy in place to disseminate its inventive bio-plastic materials; first generation films, using robust PLA based superstrate, substrate and backsheet films; and second generation resins, which employ cellulose-based biopolymer resins for non roll-to-roll applications. The company has already released its first product, the ground-breaking BioBacksheet, a 100 percent bio-based substance that forms the bottom layer of most crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells – a film usually containing petroleum-based plastics. The BioBacksheet technology will significantly decrease dependency on petroleum and will cost much less than traditional backsheeting, which in turn will lessen consumers’ expense by allowing cell producers to decrease the cost of their finished product. As well as its pioneering BioBacksheets, BioSolar plans to develop a complete line of bio-based products, which will include BioSolar Thin Film Substrate, BioSolar Superstrate and BioSolar Plastics to be used for injection molding in diverse solar panel components. As the market for solar power continues to expand, BioSolar is in an exceptional position to lead the way in development of practical and genuinely renewable solar industrial technology.