Solar systems are becoming a practical and an increasingly attractive renewable source of energy for the home. This is due to the three main causes; specifically, the growing costs of conventional energy, the falling costs of improved solar panels for homes and incentive programs offered by governments that make solar energy an attractive option.
In America, more than 10,000 homes and businesses are powered entirely by solar panels. In addition to that, 200,000 homes and businesses use solar systems to partially meet their energy requirements. That leads to substantial savings on energy bills. Respectively, the use of conventional resources like fossil fuels is reduced, which results in less environmental impact.
The cost of installation for a typical home can run $18,000-20,000 if carried out by a professional contractor. Such high cost prevents people from using solar systems. However anybody can save on installation costs by applying for tax credits and state rebates. Also, if you do it yourself, the cost would be only about 30 % before tax credits and rebates.
You do have a couple of choices: a stand-alone system which needs a storage battery or a system that is tied to the grid.
A good improvement to your home would be to convert to grid-intertied solar energy unit. As always, planning is the main prerequisite of successful conversion.
First, calculate the energy you will need based on past history. You should choose the right size of your solar energy unit. An oversized energy system will produce more power which you could sell to the grid, but you can only get credit for it and not cash.
Next, determine if your home is suitable for a solar system. These factors are to be considered:accounted for: available space on the roof, house orientation and climate. A good estimate of roof space is 80 to 100 square feet per kW. A house should be oriented towards south for the solar panel system to be efficient, and should be free of objects that may obstruct sun rays.
Though you can mount the solar panel units on poles, panel systems are usually mounted on roofs. With the help of stainless steel bolts, the supports are attached to roof rafters. The panels are then installed on the mounts.
Solar panel kits are available on the market. There are suppliers that offer their wares on the web, but it is not advisable to buy from them unless you have previous experience with installing them.
Standard set of hardware you will need for a stand-alone system without a battery that is tied to the grid includes: solar panels, power inverter, kW/hour meter, mounts to be installed on the roof, a couple of heavy duty safety switches, wirings and cable conduits. A DIY kit for a 1-kW system would cost a little over $3,000.
If you are not experienced in this area, you should choose a reputable supplier who is known for quality service. It is just sensible to look for DIY kits with an installation manual that at least has enough illustrations. The supplier should preferably have contact telephone number, and better yet, could provide a representative in case you run into a problem with installation. Or if you are lucky enough to have a friend who is experienced in installing home solar systems, then ask him to assist you in the procurement of the hardware and in the installation.
Many have proven that renewable energy can save you money and the Mother Earth. With availability of improved, inexpensive solar panels for homes and businesses, solar energy is the best option for the majority of people, so go back to that home improvement project: install a home solar power unit.