Here is a video looking at a new passive residential solar energy solution that is being developed and tested. This is just one way to optimize the use of solar energy in your home. Whether you are building new or renovating you can utilize this and other residential solar energy methods and save yourself money and lessen your dependence on none renewable resources. Check it out. This is cool, or should I say hot.
The sun is a great source of energy. It only makes sense to use solar energy in your home, especially now, with the price of conventional energy. Because of the high fuel and gas prices, more and more people are experimenting with the use of residential solar energy in their attempts to minimize the costs of basic utilities. This is also a great way to reduce the use, and dependence, of none renewable resources.
The sun’s energy can be harnessed and used in different ways, depending on how you would utilize the end product. However that energy is used, it has to be collected first. The two ways of collecting this energy is by active means or passive means. The former is done with photo voltaic, or heat, panels that are placed on the roof tops or anywhere that the exposure of the sun is the greatest. The latter is done by incorporating the collection and distribution of the solar energy into the buildings design. The main purpose of this solar collection and distribution is to provide heating, power and even ventilation for the homes they are being incorporated into. These collectors harness the sun’s energy and convert that energy into electricity or transfer it, in the form of heat, to air or water. That energy, that is not used directly, is stored and released as needed.
This is a wonderful solution to relying on the electric grid or if you live in an area which is not serviced by the grid. It is also a great way to economically power a shed, gate or yard lighting without disturbing the landscaping by having to bury electrical wiring. Solar energy has been used, for years to heat pools and household water supplies. Heating water with solar energy is quite cost effective and simpler that you might think. In fact when you learn how, you will wonder why you have not taken advantage of it already. There are more and more residential solar energy solutions coming to market all the time. Even taking a trip to the local hardware store will reveal many unique ways to utilize this technology in your home.
As this technology is used, more and more, it should encourage more studies on how to make photo voltaic cells more economical for an ordinary household. At this time, the use of solar cells can be expensive to set up but will pay for it self in two to three years. Another approach, is to install a series of solar panels which would be shared by the whole community. This could be a good idea depending on your usage, but for basic lighting purposes these could work in small poor communities.
In some areas, community cooperatives have found ways to bring electricity to households out of reach of power grids. In the Philippines for example, a local cooperative provided households loans to enable them to install a basic solar power module which can produce enough electricity for three light bulbs. This may be laughable in our standards but to these people who have been living all their lives with the flickering light of the candles, three electric light bulbs make a great deal of a difference.
As far as passive collection of solar energy, this can easily be incorporated into your new homes design or into a renovation. With an eye to making your home solar energy efficient, you will find that it is not all that difficult to incorporate simple cost effective measures that pay for themselves in a short time.
Residential solar energy solutions are becoming more and more viable and I believe that we should all strive to achieve a freedom from, dependence on non renewable resources. The future of residential solar energy is looking brighter all the time. No pun intended......really.
If you would like to learn more of how you can utilize solar energy in your home please check out Solar Panels for Homes and Earth4Energy.
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