How To Solar Power Your Life
The sun’s energy is one of the most abundant and important forms of energy on the planet. In nature it is used for photosynthesis; in ancient temples it was used as a natural light source, and in arid countries it is used to purify water.
And nowadays the sun’s rays can be used at home as a renewable energy source.
Basically, there are four main ways how to solar power your home:
Solar Ovens:
Using a solar oven is a really inexpensive and healthy way to cook food. It used to be used in poor, underdeveloped nations where electricity was not freely available. But now a lot of travelers, campers and environmentalists use it during summer as a green alternative to a conventional oven.
With solar cooking, the oven has a number of reflective panels arranged in a parabola, where they focus the sun on a single pot, in which the food is placed. Depending on the design, the cooker can make a variety of dishes from bread to steamed vegetables to fried eggs to a roast beef, and it typically caters for up to 5 people.
The disadvantage of using a solar cooker is that it can up to four times longer than a conventional oven to cook your food. But if you think that the food it cooks is healthier, cheaper (since no power is used) and it is portable, that extra time should not be such a big issue.
Solar Water Heater:
Thanks to extensive research and development, a solar water geyser is an affordable and clean alternative to using the typical gas or electric powered boiler to heat your water.
As cold water is pumped through a solar collector, the pipes absorb the sun’s energy, and heat the water, which is then stored in an insulated tank for later use. Usually the water can get so hot that it has to be mixed with cold water before it can be used.
Passive Solar Living:
What people do not realize is how much power they consume just to heat and light their homes. And if they could just see the benefit of using natural lighting and heating from the sun, they could save a lot of power and money.
Passive solar design is the strategic use of the sun’s energy to heat, light and ventilate your home naturally. For example, having a home that faces the sun, that has large, low-emissivity windows, and that is built from heat-retaining materials will tend to be naturally warmer in winter.
And like the Romans used the sun to light up their temples, careful placing of windows and mirrors in our homes can increase natural lighting, helping us reduce the need for electric lighting.
If your house tends to get very hot in summer and rather cold in winter, one solution would be to plant a deciduous tree that provides shade in summer, but loses it’s leaves in winter.
For free ventilation, you could make use of a solar chimney or solar attic fan, where hot, stale air is sucked out of the home and replaced with cool, fresh air from outside.
Solar Electricity:
More scientifically known as photovoltaic energy, this form of solar power can be used at home as a renewable source of electricity. For a solar electric panels system to be most effective, the panels should always be facing the sun.
As the sun’s rays penetrate the solar panels, electrons in the cells become charged, creating a current that is stored in deep-cycle batteries. When electricity is needed, the stored power is passed through an inverter to change the DC to AC, which can then be used to power various household appliances or connected to the grid for net metering.
Other than providing you cheap, clean renewable power, solar electric panels have become affordable and simple enough for anyone to install at home. In fact, with the right information it is possible to make your own solar power for under $200, as compared to getting a professional installation for a couple of thousand dollars.
And these are the 4 ways how to solar power your home. If your are willing to learn how to use these methods at home, you will not only be living a greener life, but you will reduce your power needs and costs, receive renewable energy tax incentives, and lower the burden on our vanishing energy sources. So take the initiative and enjoy the sun’s free, clean, abundant energy now.
