Solar Energy Systems For Home Use

Solar systems have become an excellent and an increasingly attractive renewable source of energy for private homes. This is due to three basic reasons; specifically, the rising costs of electricity from conventional sources, the decreasing prices of improved solar panels for homes as well as incentives offered by governments that make green energy an attractive option.

In America, more than 10 thousand homes are powered solely by solar energy systems. On top of that, 200,000 homes use solar systems to partially meet their energy requirements. That translates to substantial savings on electricity bills. Subsequently, the use of conventional resources like fossil fuels is reduced, which results in less environmental pollution.

The cost of installation for a mid-sized building can be $18,000-20,000 if done by a professional contractor. Such high costs prevent families from using solar systems. But you can save on installation costs through tax credits and state rebates. Moreover,if you do it yourself, the cost would be only about 30 % before tax credits and rebates.

You can have a couple of choices: a stand-alone system that needs storage battery to operate properly or a grid-intertied system.

A good improvement to your home would be to convert to grid-intertied solar energy system. Planning ahead is the key to successful conversion.

First, calculate the energy you need based on historical consumption. You should choose the right size of your solar energy system. An oversize system will generate more energy which you could sell to the grid, but you can only receive credit and not cash for it.

After that, determine if your home is suitable for a solar system. The factors to be accounted for are: available space on the roof, building orientation and climate. A good estimate of roof space is 80 to 100 sq. ft. per kW. A building has to face south for the system to be efficient, and should be free of objects that may obstruct sun rays.

Although you can mount the solar panel units on poles, panels are as a rule mounted on rooftops. With the help of steel bolts, the mounts are attached to roof rafters. The solar panels are then installed on the mounts.

Solar panel kits are readily available on the market. There are vendors who offer their solar panels on the web, but it is not recommended to purchase the kits from them unless you are an experienced DIY solar panel kit builder.

Typical set of hardware you need for a stand-alone system without a battery that is tied to the grid includes: solar panel units, utility-interactive inverter, power meter, roof mounts, a couple of heavy duty safety switches, wires and cable conduits. A DIY kit for a 1-kW system would cost a little above the $3,000 mark.

If you are not experienced in this area, you need to pick a reputable supplier who is known for outstanding service. It is reasonable to consider DIY kits with an installation manual with at least enough illustrations. The supplier should preferably have contact telephone number, and better yet, could provide a representative in case you run into a problem with installation. Or if you are a lucky guy and have a friend or acquaintance who is experienced in installing home solar systems, then ask him to help you in the buying of the hardware as well as in the installation.

Many people have shown that solar energy can save you money and the environment. With the variety of improved, inexpensive solar panels for homes and businesses, solar electricity is the best option for most of us, so go back to that home improvement project: install a home solar power unit.