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A Word on Solar Panels
For thousands of years, humans have realized the potential energy source that the sun has to offer. You can heat with it, cook food with it, dry food with it, and in recent years we have seen the development of a way to turn the sun’s rays into pure energy. Now that we have begun to see an emergence of greener lifestyles and “green” has become the buzzword, more and more people are turning to solar power. There are even houses and businesses that are covered in solar panels, and have become completely independent of the power companies. There are many more people out there who would like to take advantage of this fabulous resource, but are not sure how it really works and if solar panels will be a good investment for them.
There are basically two different types of solar panels; solar thermal collectors, which use the sun’s rays to heat fluid such as water, oil or antifreeze, and solar photovoltaic modules, which utilize solar cells to convert the sun’s rays straight into electricity. Thermal collecting solar panels are used most by companies who use steam as an energy source, like steam driven turbines. Photovoltaic solar panels are usually the ones that are spotted on the rooftops of buildings and homes. These panels need to be protected from the environment, and are most often covered in glass to shield them from wind, precipitation and other debris. Most models will last between 10 and 25 years, depending on which materials they are made out of. Solar panels can become quite expensive, and that is one of the biggest reasons that more people have not yet installed solar panels on and around their homes. They are also not as good of an investment if you live in an area that is well shaded, or one that is cloudy more often that sunny. Because the green movement has begun to really take hold recently, it is likely that the government may begin looking into incentives such as tax credits and the like, in order to make it more affordable for the regular consumer to utilize solar energy.
Even though you may not yet be able to afford solar panels from your house, you can still experiment with the sun’s energy and use it to your advantage. For example, drying your clothes on a line in the sun instead of an electrical dryer will save you energy costs. Installing skylights or simply leaving the curtains or blinds open for as long as possible can lower energy costs by utilizing natural light instead of lamps or electric lights. There are even web sites on line that have instructions on how to make your own solar panel from old florescent light bulbs and some black paint. While it will not heat your home, you may be able to attach it to a simple blower and be able to dry clothing or food. Whether you use the sun for fun projects with your family, or install solar panels on your house, it is easy to see how much we can benefit from this natural resource.