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