Why wouldn't anybody want to turn their ancestral homestead into a solar-powered machine? It seems like the recipe for success, doesn't it? Going solar can have a number of very significant advantages. However, exercise caution: Before you sever the connection with your local utility supplier, there are many things to consider.
After the initial cost of system setup and ongoing maintenance, solar electricity is free. Solar energy is efficient, yet various experts disagree on how efficient it is. Not to mention that solar energy produces no pollution, which is important to many of us in this day of climate change.
However, the upfront expenses of installing solar power can be intimidating. Additionally, if you choose to go completely solar, you might have to deal with bad weather, which could interfere with your goals to survive entirely off the sun.
If you don't have any stored energy or can't acquire enough electricity, you can still utilise solar panels to get power from the utility company. However, many people's ultimate objective is to completely do away with the need for fossil fuels, fire the utility companies that rely on them, and live exclusively off the sun.
If you want to power your entire home with solar energy, you will need to make significant mental, financial, and emotional commitments. Compared to a standard configuration, the infrastructure is a little more complicated. More accuracy is required in the calculations involved in designing and implementing your new system. A mistake could deprive you of your necessary motivation.
However, it is possible to run a house entirely on solar energy, though.
- Focussing the Sun's Radiation
- Similar to Vitamin D for Your Home
- Purchasing Free Stuff
Focussing the Sun's Radiation
The discovery that glass held at the proper angle could burn ants and start fires may have been the first real-world example of harnessing the sun's energy. We've made great progress.
In 1954, the first silicon photovoltaic cell was manufactured in the US. The solar panels we use today are directly descended from that technique. All they've done over the years is become more efficient.
Different commercial and residential buildings were created with varying solar priority starting in the 1950s. One office block was recognised for its use of solar energy to heat water. Sunrooms, hybrid solar/grid systems, and standalone entirely solar dwellings (the first of which was finished in 1983 in New York's Hudson River Valley) were the residential milestones. A family from Colorado constructed a solar array in 2000 that almost entirely powered their eight-person home.
Apart from solar panels put on roofs, other practical advances have also appeared, such as an upgraded radiant heating system. The plumbing in the house can be strategically arranged to allow the sun's heat to heat the water, which can then be piped throughout the house to help regulate the temperature. Its charm is that it doesn't increase the amount of electricity used in the house. Students from Santa Clara University in California devised a way to employ a solar radiant heat system to help cool the house in addition to heating it in 2007, during a national competition for solar home design.
Although the concept is intriguing, it hasn't always been easy to implement. Fortunately, ongoing advancements over the past ten or more years have increased the number of people worldwide who have access to low-cost, highly efficient solar power.
Naturally, the cost has the power to make or fail any solar energy project. For many, it can still be a problem. Early solar technology was very stable in price until the 1970s, when it fell by roughly 80%. An eagerly awaited milestone was reached when solar panel maker First Solar declared in February 2009 that production costs had decreased to just $1 per watt.
These days, depending on the type of panel, a home's solar panel setup might cost anywhere from $16,000 to $35,000 on average. There is no installation included: Up to $25,000 may be involved [source: Forbes]. There may be additional expenses for things like finance and permits.
But there can be substantial savings. Because energy costs vary greatly, a homeowner's ability to save money by lowering their dependency on the grid varies as well. The expenses and savings of installing and maintaining a solar system can be estimated with the use of online programs such as EnergySage and PVWatts [source: U.S. Department of Energy].
According to experts, achieving "grid parity" is a prerequisite for solar energy to truly succeed. When solar energy is priced similarly to or less expensive than conventional power, without the assistance of the grants, subsidies, and rebates that enable it for a large number of customers, grid parity is reached. Experts believe that grid parity has already been attained in many regions of the world, including China, numerous European countries, and the state of California [source: PV Magazine]. Since certain of the raw materials for solar panels are difficult to get in significant amounts, supply probably won't be able to keep up with demand when more locations achieve grid parity [source: Hutchinson].
Similar to Vitamin D for Your Home
We need to go over some of the fundamentals in order to imagine how solar electricity can power a whole house. Most of us have probably seen the more conventional solar panels by now; they are the ones that sit on rooftops and are flat, glaring, and awkward-looking.
Any available sunlight is captured by solar panels, which then transform it into DC power. DC power is transformed into AC power via an inverter, which is then used to power electronics. There are devices to convert and store excess electricity in the form of battery energy for those who wish to use the sun's beams to power their entire home. In this manner, the house can remain powered during the night or during bad weather (although it won't be able to make up for a system that isn't up to par).
Another understated, elegant substitute for the more traditional, larger panels are solar shingles. They function as conventional roof shingles, are constructed from the same materials as conventional solar panels, and resemble a typical roof, if a little bit shiny. The newest panels defy popular notion by functioning even under poor or patchy sunshine.
Why then does switching to solar power occasionally require some convincing? In the United States, homes are typically heated by either gas or electricity, which is typically supplied by neighbourhood utility companies. Assume that someone who is passionate about solar energy wishes to live completely off the grid and not use any gas or electricity from utility providers. Therefore, the electricity generated by solar power must account for the following: all major appliances (refrigerator, stove, washer, dryer), air conditioning (which is by far one of the biggest power consumers in a home), lighting, vent fans, and other electronics like computers, stereos, and televisions. (Of course, this is by no means an exhaustive list: How many people in your family require constant tablet or smartphone charging?
You will require a more powerful solar setup if your home is really large or if you are a power hog that uses electronics constantly. It would be wonderful to think that those who are sincere about completing this conversion are already aware of their energy usage and are attempting to cut back, such as by putting insulating window shades on instead of turning on the air conditioning or by skipping the dishwasher, which takes hours to fully heat and churn. However, when solar becomes more widely used, the early adopters who are concerned about the environment may not be the majority. They'll desire a stronger solar power system.
After determining how much electricity is needed, the astute consumer puts together a solar panel arrangement that can supply it. Reducing usage may be necessary if the configuration seems excessive.
Those who can afford to design and construct a solar-powered home from the ground up have some advantages, despite the fact that it's undoubtedly complex and can be costly. While designing a residential solar system for a particular existing home, many details must be considered. One such element is the house's physical design. What is the surface area of the roof (which determines its potential solar surface area)? Which way is the roof facing, and how steep is the pitch? Exist any obstacles that create only partial shade?
Another factor is location. With its infamously short days, a house in Scandinavia won't last as long as one close to the equator. The average number of bright days is also important; if it rains until dusk, it makes little difference when dusk arrives later. You'll have greater control over some of those factors if you're designing and building your own solar-powered dream home.
Examining local climatic data can also be useful when estimating how much power your new solar setup can generate and how much you'll require. Based on historical trends, it will indicate how much sunshine you may expect in any particular month. Copies of your utility bills, which show how much electricity you use, should be kept close at hand. All of these information can be used to determine whether the desired system will produce adequate electricity.
A system that produces one kilowatt per 1,000 square feet (93 square meters) of living space is advised by general guidelines. However, you must make sure you can generate enough energy to get you through the worst times, not the greatest. Don't let your optimism get the better of you. It's best to get ready for the inevitable downpour.
Purchasing Free Stuff
Anyone can use the sun's rays, but converting them into electricity requires pricey equipment. However, one of the most affordable sources of renewable energy these days is solar power.
The majority of massive solar projects are currently far less expensive than coal-fired power facilities [source: World Economic Forum]. Large-scale cost savings might not yet be applicable to smaller projects like houses. Don't let it deter you, though, if you're serious about switching; there may be ways to make it happen.
State-specific benefits should be closely examined by anyone contemplating a solar home conversion because energy-related subsidies and rebates vary widely and are subject to regular changes. More often than not, homeowners underestimate how reasonable the first investment may be with the correct mix of grants, tax credits, and per-watt refunds.
A "solar tax credit" for newly installed solar panel systems, the Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) was extended by Congress in 2020. By deducting a portion of the cost of a photovoltaic (PV) system, it lowers federal income taxes. Credit has no upper limit. However, unless Congress renews it, the ITC expires in 2024 [source: U.S. Department of Energy].
Additionally, you may qualify for credits from cities or states. There's also a chance that nearby utility companies will provide cash for system installation. Your investment may provide significant returns if you decide to sell your solar-powered house in the future. A prospective buyer would find it appealing that you might be eligible for a refund from your utility company if expenses rise and your neighbours pay more for power.
You can sell any excess energy generated by your solar panels back to the grid if it isn't needed by your home. Residential solar power installers promote this feature as a simple way to recover your investment, which may entice purchasers, however depending on where you live, the outcomes and the regulations limiting what the utility companies may do may change.
Some places have made an effort to make solar energy accessible to everyone. Municipal solar initiatives are offered by Berkeley, California, and Boulder, Colorado; the cities finance the infrastructure and collect the money via taxes. Certain locations provide unique loans that are repaid with higher property taxes. In an effort to appeal to as many customers as possible, at least one company has developed a leasing scheme that is similar to renting a satellite dish or cable box from your cable provider. This product is focused on states with exceptionally high energy expenses.
The road to simple, affordable solar electricity hasn't exactly been smooth. Germany used to grant solar power subsidies worth over $130 billion, but in 2012, the country decided to phase out those benefits. Even though solar radiation is free, officials claimed that the infrastructure was too costly and inefficient to be used widely.
However, Germany saw a 25% increase in solar rooftop installations in 2020, and the country now plans to treble its capacity for solar power plants by the end of the decade [source: PV Magazine].
So it's time to rejoice outside, especially in areas that have had difficulty utilising solar electricity. The technology exists to fully convert your home to solar power.
Get in contact to get one set up for you and your family to enjoy 24/7 power supply in your house or your office.
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