Jan 27 2010

Home Solar Panel Installation…For the Do-It-Yourselfer?
Posted by metscher5 @ 11:12 pm

solar panel It makes me a little giddy inside when I see a house with all those solar panels on the roof. OK that may be a bit weird but they are kind of cool looking and it shows environmental spirit and leadership. This is an example of a homeowner who is investing in the environment and his or her own home as well. No more dirty energy, no more electricity price hikes, and pretty soon no more power bills. That is an action step!

Now solar panels are catching on more than ever. I came across an article te other day about DIY solar installation. Some of our favorite mass retailers like Home Depot and Lowes are stocking them for online or onsite purchase for do-it-yourselfers. Is this is a good idea? Fixing a clogged toilet or changing the oil in your car is one thing but installing your own solar system…hmmm not so sure. In addition to the electricity that you will need to navigate you also have plenty of permission slips to get from utility companies and your city government before climbing up the ladder with large expensive solar panels usually costing about a grand each.

The popularity of solar energy has tripled since 2005 according to the Interstate<object Renewable Energy Council. It is estimated that a quarter million US homes generate some solar energy and a recent poll by the Solar Energy Industries Association indicates that half of the people surveyed were considering solar power for their home or business. Obviously popularity for solar energy is continuing to rise and it will be interesting to see if costs for home solar panels decrease over the next couple of years.solar install

Many customers interested in converting to a solar home were already purchasing solar powered water heaters, outdoor solar landscape lighting, LED bulbs, and other energy saving items. These are a few ways home and business owners can prep their properties and convert to full solar power with a smaller footprint compared to a home with no energy efficient equipment or appliances.

solar homeAlthough do-it-yourself is going to occur regardless, as a third of total costs can be saved this way, most people still rely on professional installation. With grants and incentives available to home and business owners for converting to solar power, a professional install makes sense and probably will save a lot of headaches and accidents.

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Categories: Featured Solar Articles, Green Energy Savings TIps, New Technologies, Solar Tips & Hints | Tags: , , , , , | 1 Comment »
Jan 09 2010

Save On My Power Bill…Without Using Solar?
Posted by metscher5 @ 1:47 am

Save 10-20% On Your Power BIllWe all know the importance of the continued global development for alternative energy sources for environmental protection and as a means utilizing clean alternatives to provide energy for future generations. Solar power is at the core of this movement as the sun’s energy is the most plentiful resource available and technological advancements are achieved continuously allowing societies to benefit from this source.

In order to continue efforts seeking environmental protection and solar power must continue to remain our focus. However, it is possible to use electricity in a more efficient and effective manner. Although electricity is a “dirty” energy source that is costly to the environment and to us as consumers, it can be utilized with these global and cost savings in mind.

A technology utilizing run capacitors has been utilized in many industries for years and now how residential and small business applications. These capacitors condition the electrical current allowing for the more efficient use of electricity at a lower cost. Furthermore, the various motors in your appliances throughout your home run cooler and more efficiently thus prolonging their life.

Home and business owners can now install a small electrical box to the incoming power source containing at least two run conductors that will influence the power factor as measured by your utility company. The low-cost power factor capacitors act similar to a battery reserve as it smoothes incoming power spikes. This is particularly beneficial to your HVAC system or refrigerators and freezers containing motors that run for long periods of time.

The motors in your appliances are now able to run more efficiently. The excess electricity that comes into your systems and appliance motors is released in the form of heat which has long term operational effects on the motor. Furthermore, because the power factor capacitors settle electrical spikes they also act as a surge protector for your electrical motors.

Utility companies look at your power factor as an energy efficiency scale and your rates may also be affected with a low power factor rating. Many home and business owners installing power factor capacitors to their electrical panels are experiencing a 10-20% reduction on their power bill. The cost for a homeowner to install a capacitor box is about $600-$800 while a small business may have larger costs depending upon building size and equipment usage.

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Categories: Green Energy Savings TIps, New Technologies, Uncategorized | Tags: , | No Comments »