Alternative Power Sources: Solar Power For Homes
Friday, June 18th, 2010Location is quite crucial when it comes to deciding on solar power for homes. You can only determine the right number of solar cells and panels by taking into consideration elements like climate, the position of the home, and the total area that you need to generate alternative power for. You can’t make the plan without taking such elements into consideration. Here are some tips you could find useful for your research because they clarify things for this big decision of making the home energy efficient.
How much power does your family consume? The size of the solar system depends on this average estimation.
If you’re going to build a solar panel, you also need accurate data of the average rainfall and the number of solar days specific to the area where you live. Most average estimates start from the value of five-hour maximum power for the solar panels. That’s the best you can achieve with a home system.
Hot water, central heating and the possibility to power small appliances: these are the main achievements of solar power for homes. Solar electricity still remains expensive at the moment for us to be able to power all the utilities on it alone. You will be able to utilize gas in parallel with solar energy.
You can check with various solar panels manufacturers and see their technical data and the amount of electricity the cells generate on the average. Evaluate how much power you can make with five hours of exposure per day, and compare these data with the consume you estimate for your family.
The initial investment to generate solar power for homes is pretty high, rising up to $16,000. An estimate calculation indicates that you will need around 41,000 square inches of solar panels to supply your entire home with electricity. Reduce the costs by using federal tax credit programs and tax rebates that enable you save up to 30% of the system costs.
Besides the solar panels as such, money will also go into battery banks, inverters and professional installation. For anyone who wants a small air conditioner in one of the rooms, the costs will be even much higher than what we’ve mentioned above.
So far the costs of solar energy as an alternative power source for homes seem often out of reach because of the initial investment. Which is why so many Americans cannot afford to make this home improvement. However, solutions do exist as long as you are determined to use solar power even if not for the entire house.

