Why Use Solar Energy?
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If I was a betting man, I’d bet you are already using solar power. It is in your fuel, your food, and in some form or another almost everything you do. In more practical terms, though, we are talking about heat and electricity. Why should we use soar power to provide energy to our homes?
The answer, solar power is reliable and free. From the early morning dawn to the late evening set, the Sun will shine each and every day. Solar energy may be the single most consistent thing there is on our planet.
The great thing is no taxes, no pollution, and no global warming. And solar energy needs no refinement, it’s ready to go. Pure solar energy, perfect and clean, like a gift from above.
So what if your photovoltaic system is only 12% efficient, or your solar collectors absorb only 70% of the available heat? The truth is, your energy source is free! No more utility bills, gas stations, and no more power outages. When your solar power system is finally in service there are no more continuing fuel costs. All that could take you down would be a volcanic cloud or weeks of unstoppable rain.
The difficulties in using solar energy are with selecting the right application and the right equipment. How much does a solar energy system cost and how difficult is it to integrate? How simple or elaborate should it be? In my location, is solar energy right for me? Here we present a few straight forward answers to help your case.
If you have a sunny climate with lots of solar energy, then put it to use. You will save money long term and do so in an environmentally safe way. We would estimate that at least 50% of the United States could be using solar energy in some way.
If where you live is cloudy and rainy all the time then solar energy probably won’t work out for you. The northern winters and coastal climates can be tough for this. But this does not mean you should not investigate, there may still be some opportunity.
When it comes to making heat and hot water with solar energy - absolutely. We refer to this as passive solar heating. These are cost effective systems that can be incorporated directly into your business or home. Many designs for passive solar heating systems are inexpensive and simple too.
When it comes to making electricity from solar energy, the answer will depend on many things. You know sometimes it is just hard to beat how effective the power supplied by the local utility.
If you are using tons of electricity in your home or your business then solar energy may be difficult to justify. This is where local Utilities are good, they can kick out the juice for all the high power users and the heavy duty industries. But if you are simple in life and efficient in how you use energy, then the up-front cost of solar power can pay off over time. It could be as little as 5 years depending on the electrical rate of your local utility.
If you have to tap into the electric grid in a remote location with any distance between you and the power supply then solar energy may be the way to go. You can save money by avoiding expensive transmission cables routed to your property.
If you are interested in an emergency reserve of energy, then this also is a good use for solar energy. With just a few solar panels you can charge a large bank of batteries. So when you get those destructive storms and environmental disasters, just kick in the emergency reserve and ride it through.
Whatever your specific purpose, the reasons for using solar energy are many. Be it an emergency back up, a money saver, or just to reduce pollution, installing a solar energy system is a beneficial experience.
Mirrored from Mindzle - Living Green Smart - Sustainable Living Articles.