home solar power

  Home Solar Power

- A Guide

There is a common myth that solar heating is the primary use for solar power in the home but in actual fact it's not always useful for this. In the winter, when you use your heating, the sun is lower in the sky and there are fewer hours of daylight. At other times of the year when solar energy would be more effective you're less likely to need it. Solar heating can supplement the other heating in your home but not take over totally from it.

Solar Power Technologies

A number of technologies have been developed to make use of solar radiation. Some of these make direct use of solar power for lighting and heating etc., while others produce electricity. They are:

1. A solar thermal energy collection system generates electricity a system of tubes containing a fluid and mirrors.

2. Solar thermal collectors which produce heat.

3. Photovoltaic panels which generate electricity directly from sunlight. However, they generate D.C. current, which has to be converted to A.C. if you want to use it in the home. This would requires a large surface areas to provide enough energy for a single home. This is why solar panels are rarely used for residential heating.

4. Solar hot water panels which are commonly used in the home for water heating.

Solar Panel Efficiency

Solar panels are only efficient when they receive direct sunshine producing very little power in cloudy conditions or shade. However, it is the sunlight that generates electricity. Solar panels used in very hot climates are less efficient than those used in sunny but cold climates because heat actually interferes with electricity production. Efficiency decreases when the temperature of the panel is more than 50 degrees centigrade.

Also, at varying times of the day, the amount of energy produced will be different depending upon the angle of the sun to the panel. On cloudy days horizontal panels are more efficient but normally more energy is produced when the panel is inclined. Pointing the panel directly at the sun produces the most energy.

The use of solar power tends to fall in and out of favor depending upon the potential savings when compared with other energy types. However, the equipment needed nowadays is 90% cheaper than it was thirty years ago and the technology has improved considerably. For example, homes with solar roof tiles can often produce more electricity than is needed. So overall costs are going down and consequently solar energy in the home is becoming more popular again.