Are You Ready to Consider Greener and Easier Ways to Reduce Energy Costs?

ENERGY SAVINGS IN HOME

Here are some ideas that are low cost or no cost at all

• Install a programmable thermostat to lower utility bills and manage your heating and cooling systems efficiently.

• Air dry dishes instead of using your dishwasher are drying cycle.

• Turn things off when you are not in the room such as lights, TVs, entertainment systems, and your computer and monitor.

• Plug home electronics, such as TVs and DVD players, into power strips; turn the power strips off when the equipment not in use as they will use several watts when not "on."

• Lower the thermostat on your water heater to 120°F.

• Take short showers instead of baths and use low-flow showerheads for additional energy savings.

• Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes.

• Air dry clothes.

• Check to see that windows and doors are closed when heating or cooling your home.

• Drive sensibly; aggressive driving such as speeding, and rapid acceleration and braking, wastes fuel.

Look for the ENERGY STAR label on light bulbs, home appliances, electronics, and other products. ENERGY STAR products meet strict efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.

Visit energysavers.gov

Find out how a family reduced annual energy costs and carbon footprints in half! There is an article in MOTHER EARTH NEWS called "8 Easy Projects for instant Energy Savings"

If you find you have already made your home as energy efficient as possible and you still have high electrical bills, you need to consider DIY SOLAR PANELS FOR YOUR HOME.

WHAT IS SOLAR ELECTRICITY AND WHY CONSIDER DIY INSTALLATION OF SOLAR PANELS

It is generation of electricity from the power of the sun via photovoltaic cells. Without getting very scientific, the solar panel power generating unit is a kind of small power generating system that converts direct sunlight into electricity using solar cells and panels - the direct sunlight is fuel.

Here are a few reasons as to why you might consider creating your own affordable DIY polar panel project:

Relatively inexpensive to do

Save hundreds of dollars every time you get your electrical bill

Great for the environment as there is a reduction of CO2 carbon emissions

Spend savings on other important things in your life

Installed renewable energy system in your premises will increase the value of your property significantly

Installed DIY solar panels provide extra source of security should grid failure or power outages occur

You might consider starting with smaller DIY solar panel projects and build on that - smaller projects have limited exposure to electricity and you might feel safer.

Cost and Maintenance of Solar Panels

For a lot of us, commercial installation is a very expensive project as well as hiring a licensed electrician.

Depending where you live, there may be some tax credits available but these involve strict guidelines for the installation and inspections.

You need to find out about replacement and repair costs as well as proper maintenance.

Solar cells are often described by the percentage of converted power referred to as power conversion efficiency. This efficiency depends on the processing technology used to make the solar cell.

Solar cell technology differs from one another bases first of all on materials used to make the cells and secondly on the processing technology used to fabricate the solar cell. Silicon wafers solar cells account for about 85% of the photovoltaic market.

In renewable energy technologies the major cost is the initial purchase cost and this price doesn't vary over the period of time the system is used. However, conventional generating systems (utility company) uses time of operation as a major cost component. You get quotes prices for energy (power x time) not just power. Usage cost is more during peak periods. A solar array provided two benefits - first of all it produces electricity during peak periods thus reducing overall consumption of grid electricity.

If you can look at John Farrell's article called "Hourly Electricity Pricing Boosts Value of Distributed Solar by 33 percent". appearing in CleanTechnica.com.

There is a great article about how several communities in more than one state found a way to reduce the cost of installing a larger solar panel setup. "Pallets of PV: Communities Purchase Solar and Drive Down Costs Together" found in Renewable Energy Project Finance. That can be found at financere.nrel.gov/finance.

All of the great details, including how to set up your own program, are laid out in "The Solarize Guidebook: A Community Guide to Collective Purchasing of Residential PV Systems," released in May 2012. This roadmap is for state and local governments and community leaders wanting to create a program to buy PV in bulk. It describes how Solarize Portland executed its program, explains how other neighborhoods across the United States are building off their efforts, and describes the steps needed to have a successful campaign in six months or less.

BUILDING YOUR DIY SOLAR PANELS CAN SAVE YOU 50% OR MORE ON YOUR MONTHLY ENERGY BILLS!

PREPARE TO INSTALL YOUR AFFORDABLE DIY SOLAR PANELS!

You might think this project might take weeks, right?

With the right information, preparation and instructions, you can do this in one weekend!

Do you have pliers, screwdrivers, DC meter and solder available to you?

Next the planning - decide how much power you will want to generate and plan your work area and time you have available.


Article Source: Dana L Evans