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Solar energy for residential houses is nothing new. It has just been relegated to the background in lieu of rising cost of real estate; newer more advanced building materials, design and the limitation of resources.

Since man started building homes, sunlight played a major influence in the design. In fact, even in the more advanced urban planning method of the Ancient Chinese and Greeks, the orientation of the buildings is as much as possible directed towards where it could capture the most sunlight.

The ancients might not be as intellectually sophisticated then to use catch phrases as passive solar and thermal mass but when they build, they were building in compact proportion, employing overhangs, producing insulations and building in manners that direct the airflow within the structure and producing well lit, well ventilated spaces using the relative position of the sun to the orientation of their structures.

Lately, as the conventional sources of energy became more expensive, homeowners were once again turning to the sun for energy requirements.

Since the 1950’s, harnessing the sun’s rays has been developing and today the solar cell technology has achieved very efficient levels that modern (so-called green house) designs apply the sun’s power to provide energy for the home.

While solar energy is free, the device that will convert it to run our appliances is not. To provide solar energy for the home, solar cells called photovoltaic made from semi-conducting materials, are grouped into modules. These solar panels are mounted on rooftops, yards or open spaces where it can capture the maximum amount of sunlight.

Whenever possible, the panels will be installed facing south to get the most out of the sunlight but tracking systems are also used to follow the direction of the sun. The solar panels collect the energy from the sunlight. The process basically is that when the panels are exposed to sunlight, the electrons are separated form the atoms. This movement of the electrons creates electricity.

To store power, pumps are often used - circulating water in the cells. The water goes into a storage tank where the power is stored, ready for use. Sometimes, the use of gravity is employed if it will just the same store the heated water in to the tank.

In spite of all the development in solar energy though, the use of this technology is not enough to provide power to the whole house. The best method so far can only fulfill about 80% of a households power needs. The employment of solar energy for the home will still require the use of the conventional power distribution method.

Powering the homes by solar means will still, for a while be augmented by a local power distribution agency. To many, this is already a good starting point. Homeowners that feel that the high cost of powering their houses through solar power, is justified when compared to the price that is now being paid for conventional electrification method where horrendous amounts of CO2 are being dumped into the atmosphere just to generate a pitiful amount of electricity.

However, due in part to the rising costs of energy, the technology for solar energy has been undergoing rapid phases of development. Experts are confident that within five years, powering the home through the solar method will be made widely available for those who prefer it as its sole energy source.

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A solar panel is basically a device that enables the collection of and conversion of solar energy into electrical energy or even heat.

The Concept of Solar Panels

Solar panels are also known as photovoltaic panels and the atoms that are present in these panels are excited by the action of the sun’s energy. These atoms are present in a silicon layer that lies between two panels known as protector panels.

A formation of electric current takes place as a result of the action of the electrons from the aforementioned, excited atoms, and these are then used by a myriad of external devices.

The history of solar panels dates back by hundreds of years, when their sole purpose was to heat the water for use in homes. Many-a-times specially shaped mirror is used for the concentration of light onto a tube of oil. Due to this action, there is a heating up of oil and as these heated oil travels through a vat of water, it instantly results in the boiling of this water. The steam that is a resultant of this process of boiling is used to turn a turbine for the generation of electricity.

The History of Solar Panels

It was in the year 1839 that the photovoltaic effect was discovered by Antoine – Cesar – Becquerel, a French physicist. His experiment in this regard involved the placement of an electrolyte cell in an electrolyte solution; two metal electrodes made up the electrolyte cell.

When this device was exposed to sunlight, Becquerel found that the generation of electricity saw a marked increase. It was in 1883 that Charles Fritts coated sheets of selenium with a thin layer of gold and built the first genuine solar cell. Over a period of time many experiment were conducted and discoveries were made when it came to solar cells. Albert Einstein also published his thesis on the photoelectric effect, during this time and also won the Nobel Prize for his research.

It was space satellites that made large scale use of solar electrical energy for the first time. By 1980, the United States of America, produced a solar cell which provided an efficiency of nearly twenty percent, this efficiency was increased to around twenty four percent in the next two decades and currently there are a few companies that are manufacturing solar cells that offer efficiency levels of nearly twenty eight percent

The Working of Solar Panels

Pure silicon forms the basic element of all solar panels as its makes for an ideal platform that aids transmission of electrons. This material is used on the plates that form a solar panel. Solar panels are also created by combining silicon panels with other elements, with negative or positive charges.

The Silicon atoms are exposed to the bombardment of photons when negative plates of solar cells are faced towards the sunlight. Once all free electrons are drawn away from the plates, enough electricity is generated to power various electronic appliances that do not require too much electricity to power them.

Features and Types of Solar Panels

Basically there are three types of solar panels, namely mono-crystalline solar panels, polycrystalline solar panels, and amorphous solar panels. The life expectancy of solar panels depends on the type of solar panels selected by you; generally it’s around twenty years or so.

Solar panels do not require sustained maintenance for their upkeep although; if lead acid batteries are used then they must be checked every six months and topped up with distilled water if required. If you are looking for a solar panel for your needs and do not know what size to go for, then the best way would be to calculate your average consumption of electricity on a daily basis. This would give you a fair idea of what kind of solar panel to go for. In the long run, solar panels will reduce your electricity bill by a long way, and hence the option of using solar energy must be explored in a positive manner.

Solar power has long been a minor power source compared to mighty oil. As oil prices rise and conflicts occur in oil countries, perhaps the issue needs to be revisited.

Solar vs. Oil

The industrial revolution was built on the back of oil and coal. There is no denying that solar played no part whatsoever. This is particularly true since solar cells were not invented until the 1950s! That being said, it appears indisputable that we have reached or are approaching a new debate about how we deal with our insatiable thirst for power.

At first glance, the mere mention of a comparison of solar to oil as an energy source sounds laughable. It is laughable when we are talking about large scale energy production, but the tide is turning.

In a comparison of solar to oil, solar power has numerous advantages. The power source for solar, the sun, is free. Solar is available as a resource in every country, regardless of location, economic strength and so on since the sun shines everywhere. The process of converting sunlight into electricity or heating produces no greenhouse gases. Whether you believe in global warming or not, solar still is advantageous in that it doesn’t produce pollution. If you live in a big city, you know how much pollution is in the air. You can often see it!

Flipping the coin, oil has some serious advantages over solar. We have already developed technology to efficiently convert oil to power. The cost of converting industry, vehicles and such to solar or any other power source would be huge. Oil also has an advantage in that it is easier to use in a wide variety of applications, such as vehicles. One simply can’t power a vehicle with solar power, not on a practical level. Finally, it is easier to use oil to provide power to massive energy platforms, such as electricity for New York City.

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For large scale energy needs, oil is still a superior choice to solar as an energy resource. The technology simply does not exist to provide solar energy solutions for vehicles, national electrical grid systems and so on. Advancements in solar technology, however, may be changing this fact in the very near future. Technologies such as quantum dots, essentially microscopic solar panels that could exist in the paint on your home, may make oil a thing of the past.

For now, oil remains the backbone upon which our energy needs sit. In the next 5, 10 or 20 years, however, new technological applications may change this. Don’t believe me? Then consider the fact oil companies such as Chevron are investing heavily in solar companies.

Motion lighting is very convenient security platform for homes. Solar motion lamps take the benefits to the next level with more efficiency and reduced utility bills.

Motion Lighting Using Solar Power

Motion sensor lamps can be an excellent choice for your home. These lamps offer the security of having a bright light shine into the eyes of any would be intruder, thus deterring them from staying on your property. There are several different types of motion lamps available for the protection of your family and home, but the best option by far is to use solar motion lamps.

Solar power is a clean and ecologically sound alternative to electric, battery and other sources of power. There is no pollution produced, no non-renewable resources used, and it costs far less than other power sources. Even if you don’t choose to use solar power for all your household needs, you can still help the environment by choosing solar motion lamps. Every small bit of solar power used decreases the world’s usage of less ecological methods.

Solar motion lamps work by collecting solar power during the day through solar cells located on the light. This solar energy is used to recharge a battery (usually a NiCad rechargeable battery), which in turn powers the lamp at night. Some models of solar motion lamps include solar panels that are strong enough to collect energy even in overcast conditions, making the lamp even more useful. Motion lamps also have settings to customize.

You can set the duration that the lamp shines when it detects motion (any where from .5 minute to three minutes), as well as being able to position it so that it can detect motion up to 90 feet away. The trigger for the motion lamp is a passive infrared motion detector that is safe for use around all people and animals, and does not require additional high tech equipment. You also have the choice of mounting your solar motion lamps on a post (this will be provided) or on the side of your house or garage.

Solar motion lamps usually use a strong LED lamp. LEDs are an excellent choice for solar lamps because they use far less power than traditional bulbs and halogen lamps. Motion lamps are built with weather resistant materials, so they can be left on your homes exterior in all types of conditions.

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Solar motion lamps are an excellent way to keep your home and property safe from intruders and other problems, all while being cheaper and more “green” than other choices. If you need just one or many, the solar powered versions of motion lamps are the easiest choice for your lighting needs. For more information on The Green Buzz Power, Go Green For Power!

From the first time I saw, first hand, a solar cell making electricity, I was hooked. It was magnetic. I was going to have one, making electricity for me, one day. I didn’t get around to trying it, until about 1979. I ordered $400.00 worth of solar cells from a company in California. I made a makeshift solar panel with them, which worked for a while.

Much later, in 1993, I tracked down a company in Calgary, who sold solar panels. I bought 1 for about $500.00. It was about the size of a large beach towel. It was blue in color and was mounted inside an aluminium frame.

My first attempt at making a solar power lighting system worked but wasn’t very efficient. I used a little incandescent bulb from a reading lamp hooked up to a car battery, that was charged by the solar panel.

I mounted the solar panel in the most sunny window I had to put it in. At that time there weren’t compact florescent light bulbs. I liked that solar panel so much that I bought 3 more like it from the same company. Each panel made about 50 watts in direct sunlight.

A solar cell reacts with sunlight making a positive and negative charge. When you link the two charges by attaching a wire to both ends of the solar cell, charged electrons move along the wire, and an electric current flows. When the cells are joined together, to increase the voltage and amperage, you have made a solar panel. So all this makes the electricity your light uses.

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Once you have the electricity, you have to store it somewhere, or use it right away. Since the whole point of a light is to use it in the dark, and solar panels only work in sunlight, you need a battery, to store the electricity until you are ready to turn the light on.

To keep the electricity in the battery while the solar panel is connected, a diode is used. A diode is an electronic device which only allows direct current to travel in one direction. If the current tries to go in the other direction, then the diode stops it. This happens when a big dark cloud moves in front of the sun. Your panel makes so little power the battery has more voltage push, than what is coming from the panel. So the voltage from the battery tries to send current out from the battery. We want the battery to charge, and not waste the electricity until we turn on the light.

To use the direct current electricity in a battery, to run an alternating current or household current compact florescent light, you need to convert the electricity from the battery, to the kind of electricity the light will use. This device is called an inverter. It makes AC electricity out of DC electricity. The inverter is connected to the battery and the power cord from the light is plugged into the inverter.

When you switch your light on, you are using the power from the sunlight captured during the day time. The advantage of using compact florescent light bulbs is that they are very energy efficient, using little electricity, and giving out the same amount of light used by a 60 watt regular light bulb. You make your own power and don’t care if the power from the electric company goes off.

Your lighting system will still work.For more information on The Green Buzz Power, Go Green For Power!

President Barack Obama in Denver, Colorado spoke about solar energy and power that we need to get off of our electric grid that is over 50 years old.

Why Now Green Solar Energy?

Solar energy is a green energy source because it is a renewable and it does not cause any harm to the environment. This is achieved by converting the sun’s rays into electricity with the help of solar cells.

There are three basic approaches how we can use this form of green energy source namely passive, active and by using photovoltaic cells.

When we refer to passive solar energy, nothing is converted. What happens is the building’s design helps avoid heat loss and gets the most out of day lighting.

What Can You Do To Go Green?

Such a technique can also be used in homes because studies have shown that this can reduce the heating requirements by as much as 80% with minimal cost. This means you don’t have to turn on the air condition or heater that often and if everyone does that, we don’t consume that much electricity which we get from non-renewable resources.

The second approach which is active solar energy is the first way of converting sunlight into heat. You should know that there are certain limits to this one and all it can do is make sure you have hot water.

The third approach is the big scale version and it can power an office or an entire home. This is done with the help of solar cells that convert sunlight into electricity. The smallest ones around can be seen in calculators and watches with large ones planted over huge acres of land.

The only limitation to this green energy source is the fact that it can only generate power when the weather is good and the sun is out. Should it rain, then nothing is collected and converted. When this happens, the auxiliary system is turned on until the weather improves.

Despite that, scientists and students themselves have made solar powered cars. NASA or the National Aeronautical Space Administration has sent satellites into space that are powered by solar panels. A fully functional airport can function on its own thanks to solar power even if it is situated in the middle of the frozen desert.

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The Postive Future Of Solar Power

So people can see the awesome power of solar energy, did you know a kilowatt of solar energy can produce 5.5 hours of electricity per day. If you have more solar cells in place, naturally you will be able to produce enough power to last several days.

Solar energy is just one form of green energy source around. Through the years, we have learned to tap other resources and these examples include wind power, geothermal energy, hydroelectricity and biogas. These are all safe and by using these more often, we don’t need to depend on oil which is a nonrenewable resource.

To make this happen, we have to persuade our law makers to promote the use of such resources. Although you hear speeches left and right about their concern for the environment, it is all talk and not that much action. It is something that has to change.

Two countries that have increased solar usage happen to be Germany and Japan. Spain, France, Italy and South Korea are next in the list and where is the United States? Well, one thing is for certain and that it is not in the top 10 despite the fact that it is an industrialized nation.

Today Electrical Companies Are Willing Pay You Going Green

The time is now for change. Reading this article should move more than ever to take advantage of solar power for your home. Going green power is not only the cool thing to do, its also the smart wise choice for you and the earth.

Go Solar and Wind Power

Additionally, the Government is now offering to pay you to make your home green. Just think about no more electric bill. At the same time saving the environment we both share together. The added kicker is learning how to get you home green and use solar and wind power.

That’s why you need to this website www.earth-4-energy.milehightopsites.com will teach you everything you need to know about solar power for your home and download ebook fast right to your computer. We believe in saving trees and going digital is the way to go and get information to transform your home to solar and wind power! It’s easier than you think!

For more information to transform your home going green to solar and wind power, click here.