| Many people today are trying to save money on | | | | without the use of any mechanical devices. When |
| their energy bills and one of the more popular ways | | | | you go out on a sunny day, you feel the warm sun's |
| is through using solar energy. How does solar energy | | | | rays, and this principle is really the same for heating |
| work? | | | | your home. A passive solar home has south facing |
| Energy from the sun in the form of heat and light is | | | | windows and uses building materials that absorb the |
| abundantly available to everyone on Earth, even in | | | | sun's rays and then dissipates the heat into your |
| places that do not get a lot of a sun. Did you know | | | | home efficiently. Passive solar can also be used to |
| that the Earth receives more energy from the sun in | | | | heat water in our home. |
| an hour than our entire population can use in an entire | | | | Using Residential Solar Energy |
| year? With all that clean, renewable energy that is | | | | Solar electricity is a great alternative to powering |
| coming from the sun every day, it is worthwhile to | | | | your home with standard power grids. It is already |
| figure out a way to use it. | | | | being used in a variety of residential, as well as |
| Active Solar | | | | business applications world wide. There are many |
| There are two different types of solar energy that | | | | different ways you can get a home solar power |
| can be used to power our homes and daily lives. One | | | | system, including DIY solar power kits that come |
| is active solar energy, which works through solar | | | | complete with diagrams and materials you need to |
| panels, which are set up with the use of photovoltaic | | | | build your own solar power systems for very little |
| cells. These cells are linked together in order to | | | | money. |
| produce electricity. | | | | You can also find solar energy professionals that will |
| How much electrical output they produce depends on | | | | come to your home, assess your needs, and do all |
| a few factors. One of them is how many cells are | | | | the work for you. There are even ways that you |
| linked together in a panel, and how many panels are | | | | can get used solar panels for free, or through solar |
| being used. | | | | power grants or renewable energy programs in your |
| The energy from the sun comes in the form of | | | | area. |
| direct current, DC, instead of the alternating current, | | | | You can run your home on solar energy even when |
| AC, that is used in your home. For this reason you | | | | there is little or no sun. Using batteries to store |
| will need a way to convert the energy. The simplest | | | | excess energy, you can draw from them during the |
| solution is to buy a power inverter, which convert | | | | days when there is simply not enough sun to be |
| the sun's energy into usable AC elecricity. Another | | | | effective. |
| option is to convert your household's electrical needs | | | | Many Options for Using Solar Energy |
| to DC power, although this is in most cases | | | | Some people also use solar energy in combination |
| impractical especially in existing homes. | | | | with other alternative power sources, like wind |
| Thermal Solar Energy | | | | turbines, or even magnetic generators. Not only can it |
| There is another form of active solar power that | | | | save you a great deal of money on your electric bill, |
| uses thermal energy from the sun to heat the water | | | | in some cases you can actually get completely off |
| in your home. Devices that circulate and pump the | | | | the grid, and not even have a bill at all. |
| water help to keep it warm. Depending on where | | | | New technologies are being developed to help make |
| you live, solar power can heat water up to sixty | | | | solar energy more affordable and available to more |
| degrees or more. While this may not be ideal for | | | | people. Even if you're not able to convert your entire |
| taking a shower, it can be effective for dish washing | | | | home to solar power, you can now use solar |
| or even doing your laundry. Solar power for heating | | | | powered battery chargers, solar yard lights, solar |
| water can cut your water heating bills substantially, | | | | appliances and more. Each small thing that you do to |
| and can be used in combination with solar electricity. | | | | save energy will also help our environment and help |
| Passive Solar | | | | to make our beautiful Earth a better place for our |
| Passive solar energy uses the power of the sun | | | | children and grandchildren. |