20 Facts And Figures About Solar Energy

Here are 20 exciting solar energy facts that could be of interest to those considering converting their homes into renewable solar energy (partly or entirely). These fun facts about solar energy could also be of interest to any aspiring solar energy enthusiasts.

20 Solar Energy Facts and Figures

1. Solar panel technology emerged in the 1800's.
2. The first "true" solar panels were created in the 1950s.
3. Solar cell's efficiency may be as little as 4% (organic cells) or as much as 40% (experimental multiple-junction solar cells). The higher the efficiency of the material, the more expensive it will be to manufacture it.
4. One 100W light bulb that's constantly on, costs around $100 per year.
5. One photovoltaic roof shingle can produce as much as 15W of electricity. Several solar roof shingles could run one 100W light bulb that's constantly on.
6. A solar cell with 10 percent efficiency output and a 100 sq centimeters (15.5 sq inch) surface can produce about 1W of power.
7. An average household uses about 9,000kWh of energy annually.
8. A 350 Sq foot panel that produces 15W of power per Sq foot would produce a total of about 9,000kWh of energy yearly, which could power an average household with all the energy that it needs.
9. An average homeowner that uses electricity from their utility grid could spend $50,000 in the next 25 years on their electric bills.
10. Tax incentives for buying solar can be as high as 30% of the purchased solar powered system's cost.
11. In the US, tax incentives can result in shortening the time for the panels to pay back for themselves down to as little as 6-8 years.
12. You can get solar panels for free from homeowners or businesses upgrading their systems.
13. Solar panels typically have a 20-25 year warranty and 40 year lifetime expectancy.
14. In order to achieve the most out of solar panels, they have to be facing south and be installed at 20-50 degree angles.
15. You can wire solar cells to increase the Voltage of the system (series wiring), to increase the Current of the system (parallel wiring), or to increase both, Voltage and Current (series/parallel wiring).
16. Solar powered systems with a battery can provide a homeowner with electricity even during the time of local power outages.
17. You do not have to connect a home in the woods to a power grid, if you provide it with a powerful enough solar power generator.
18. Solar energy is very safe for the environment, since it produces negligibly small amounts of elements, and only during the process of manufacturing the solar materials.
19. In the future, we may see cars and houses painted with a translucent solar paint to generate energy.
20. Solar energy won't run out until the sun ceases to shine, which is estimated to happen in about 5 billion years from now.

As you can see, there are numerous good solar energy facts. It's also a fact that the whole world is anticipating further drops in the price of solar material, so that everyone will be able to enjoy all of the solar power benefits at a reasonable cost.

About the Author
Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.solarpanelmanual.com which focuses on solar energy. Please visit his web site to learn more about solar panel installation.

Wind Energy Or Solar Energy - Which Is Best For Your Location?

When choosing the best option for reducing your power bill, it is important to understand the benefits and drawbacks of two of the most popular energy sources: Wind Energy and Solar Energy.

Solar Energy

The earth does not produce energy on its own. Solar Energy creates two other sources of energy often utilized by homes and businesses: water and wind. Solar Energy is collected using various types of Solar Panels, which is then channeled into a home via "Grid-Tie" or "Off Grid" systems.

The Grid-tie systems collect solar energy and feed it directly into your electrical system through a grid-tie inverter. In this arrangement, the electric company is essentially the storer of any excess electricity collected throughout any given day. The advantage of this method is the cost savings in needing to purchase a battery bank to store the energy. If you happen to produce more electricity than you use, many electric companies will pay their customers for each extra Kilowatt Hour (KWH) of electricity fed back into their system. However, the amount electric companies pay their customers for the electricity is not typically as high as the amount they would charge you for the same amount.

Off-Grid systems are the same as Grid-tie, except they store the extra solar energy collected by solar panels into batteries. The off-grid inverters cost less, but there will be a substantial battery cost. The amount of batteries needed will depend on the number of solar panels you have. The more solar panels you purchase, the more batteries will be needed to store the energy.

Some areas of the country are more suitable for solar energy than others. Solar Panels need the direct rays of the sun in order to operate at peak efficiency. Cloudy areas such as Seattle, Washington are not going to produce as much solar energy as places like Phoenix, Arizona. While Seattle is one of the worst areas, if you were to make a line that went from Minnesota to Ohio to Maine, that area of the country fares only little better in its worst month. See a Solar Radiation map for more specific information in your area.

Wind Energy

Wind energy has the distinct advantage of being available both night and day. When the storm clouds roll in, blocking the afternoon sun, wind energy is there to pick up the slack. Interestingly, wind energy is actually produced by solar energy, albeit indirectly. As the sun's rays come in contact with the earth, some areas absorb more heat than other areas, and some areas receive more direct rays (e.g. the equator) than others (e.g. the North Pole). The warm atmosphere gases then naturally move to colder areas, creating wind.

Some areas of the country are more suited for wind energy than others. If you live in the southeastern section of the United States, wind energy is not a good option unless you live in a high elevation or near a coastline. A wind resource map can be located on the web site listed in this article.

Another important factor in determining whether or not wind energy is a good possibility for your home is whether or not you are able to place a wind turbine at a high enough elevation to produce a cost-effective amount of energy. Most guides recommend wind turbine installation at an elevation of 30 feet higher than the surrounding area. The higher your wind turbine, the more energy it is going to produce. Of course, this also means that initial installation costs will be higher as well. Overall, wind energy is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint. Just make sure your location is well suited for it.

Conclusion

It can be a very satisfying experience knowing that you are saving money and reducing your carbon footprint every time you see the wind blowing or the sun shining. With the federal government basically picking up 30% of the tab through tax credits, now is a great time to invest.

Thomas J. Martincic is the author and developer of the web site http://www.WindSolarEnergy.org. The web site contains a wealth of free information on wind and solar energy, provided in layman's terms.

Thomas J. Martincic

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thomas_Martincic

Electric Magnetic Energy - The Best Renewable Energy For Your Home Usage

Just about every homeowner these days is interested in renewable energy for their home usage. It's no secret that the best way to do green is to use alternative sources of energy and going green equals a reduction in electric bills and more money saved.

The best alternative energy source has to be electric magnetic energy even though it is probably the least most popular energy source available. This magnetic energy is becoming increasingly popular day by day and especially among those home owners who don't live in an area that gets enough sunlight or wind to utilize solar panels or wind turbines.

The machine that creates electric magnetic energy is known as a magnetic motor and it is becoming more relevant as the days go by. For many homeowners across the world this magnetic energy makes up most of their energy consumption. Meanwhile there are some homeowners that use this alternative energy source to fully power their household.

It might sound complicated at first but it's very easy to build your own magnetic motor and start generating free electric magnetic energy. Some people decide to buy one of these motors already assembled and other people try and hire an expert to build a magnetic motor for them. However, these experts will charge anywhere from $10,000 on up for just a weekend project.

Thankfully magnetic motor home guides are now available and you can use one to build your own motor by yourself. Electric magnetic energy is playing a significant role for home consumption especially for those living in areas that don't get a great amount of sunlight or wind.

If you decide to implement a Magnetic Motor on a full-scale, it will independently power your household using Free Magnet Energy, meaning, you won't have to pay anything to the power company. Click Here and take a look at how you can begin producing free energy using A Magnetic Motor.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Karl_Landry

Various Renewable Energy Resources And The Best To Use At Home

So do you want to know about renewable energy?

I understand why a lot of people are interested in this subject. In fact, I am one of them myself.

Renewable energy is becoming a very important resource of power; even governments are conducting huge researches on this matter.

I want you to think about this for a second- What if all countries and individuals use renewable power, how would it be?

Well, it will definitely change the future of the planet.

Renewable energy

It is the energy generated from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, geothermal heat, and many other resources. These resources are naturally replenished.

Geothermal energy: It is obtained by trapping the heat of the earth itself. It can be done in some places from the surface and in others it has to be a few kilometers deep.

Hydropower: Energy in water can be harnessed and used. Water is about 800 times denser than air, so even a slow flowing stream or a moderate sea swell can yield a considerable amount of energy.

Bio fuel: There are various types of bio fuels that could be made out vegetable oils, animal fats, the sugar components of some plants and many other resources.

Solar energy: It is the energy derived from the sun through the form of solar radiation.

Wind energy: Air flows are used to produce energy.

Warning: These last two renewable energy resources are perfect for everyone to use at home or even at the office. You can easily buy or build your own solar panel and wind turbine, and produce green free energy.

You can go green and start using renewable energy resources!

You can get more information on renewable energy by clicking here.

Save money, save the environment, and use solar or wind power at your home.

Check this out to see available power systems.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sam_Newmen