| If you and your family are trying to 'live green' this | | | | warm the house. Then in the early evening begin |
| year, you'll definitely want to know more about | | | | closing your blinds and drapes to keep the heat from |
| passive solar energy sources. Solar power refers to | | | | drifting back through your window panes. Of course, |
| the light and heat from the sun that is trapped and | | | | in the summer you do the exact opposite. |
| then converted into usable energy. Wind power, | | | | Active solar energy come from solar panels or solar |
| wave power, and hydroelectricity, are other, more | | | | water heaters. An array of photovoltaic solar panels |
| common, forms of alternative energy technologies | | | | hooked into your power grid or a battery pack is the |
| and are more commonly used to generate electricity | | | | perfect alternative to rising costs of electricity. Solar |
| for homes and businesses. Solar energy is by far the | | | | panels can be installed in any area of your home |
| least used of the major green energy types. | | | | where the sun would naturally shine. Many people opt |
| Although the use of solar energy has a long history, | | | | to have them installed on their roof, but that does |
| until recently it has not been possible to harness the | | | | not always have to be the case. If your backyard is |
| massive amounts of energy needed to power a | | | | large enough you can build your array off the ground. |
| town or city. However, as an individual you can easily | | | | There are numerous Federal, State, and City rebates |
| use solar technology to power your home. There are | | | | that can be applied for solar energy systems. Making |
| 2 types of solar power, active and passive, using a | | | | the installation of solar nearly free, if not totally free. |
| combination of these resources your family can save | | | | Of course if you own a cabin or a boat you can |
| a heap of money year after year on your utility bills. | | | | make your own solar panels. Other solar energy |
| Plus you'll lower your carbon footprint and helping to | | | | resources include, solar water heaters, solar attic |
| care for the environment. | | | | fans, and solar powered lighting. They capture |
| Passive solar energy is the easiest to use and | | | | sunlight convert it into energy for immediate or later |
| manage. In a perfect world we would all have south | | | | use. |
| facing houses so that we could more easily utilize | | | | Solar energy has always lagged behind other forms |
| natural light. However, the world is not perfect nor | | | | of renewable energy. Partly due to it's high cost of |
| are our houses. So we have to manipulate things a | | | | installation. However, that is changing rapidly. Many |
| bit in order to make our homes more energy | | | | people are choosing to make solar panels and create |
| efficient. Natural light can involve any selection of | | | | their own solar arrays. Depending on where you live |
| materials with positive thermal characteristics. Such as | | | | you can qualify for government rebate programs and |
| double paned windows. Using drapes and blinds is a | | | | get a sizable chunk of your solar panel system paid |
| way to effectively use passive solar energy to help | | | | back to you. Mass produced solar energy is, for the |
| you reduce your energy costs year round. In the | | | | most part, still in it's infancy, but for individuals who |
| winter natural sunlight can warm a house and reduce | | | | only need small amounts of solar power, it can be |
| the amount of energy used to heat your house. | | | | the easiest way to reduce your energy bill and live |
| Open the blinds early and let in the natural light to | | | | green. |