Solar Hot Water

More and more people are making the jump towards being free from the power grid and creating their own electricity. Environmental issues and rising costs of conventional energy sources are causing a lot of people to start thinking of becoming self sufficient.


One System at a Time

It is not easy to suddenly change over from conventional energy to alternative energy sources. It can be very expensive to install enough solar panels to run your entire house-around $20,000! This is a large amount of money which few people can afford to spend all at once.

You can look at making smaller changes to reduce your reliance on the power grid. One such method is the installation of solar hot water panels.


Solar Water Heating

Solar panels used to generate electricity differ from those used to generate hot water and heat for the home. These can be a cheaper and more efficient way to fulfill your heating and hot water requirements.

Solar cells used in the solar panels which generate electricity are both complex and expensive-this is because the technology involved has to convert the sun’s energy into electricity which you can use in your home. Solar hot water panels are more simple; they only need to harness the sun’s heat to heat the water in your tank. This makes this type of solar panels cheaper and easier to install.

Want to know how to make a generator for Solar Water Heating? This is where it starts.


System Components

A solar hot water system consists of solar hot water panels, a water tank and a system to transfer the sun’s heat to water inside the tank. This system generally involves some type of liquid-generally, antifreeze is used- which travels through the solar panels and so on to the water tank. The liquid is heated by the sun then travels to the water tank, bringing the stored heat with it.


Solar Heating Systems

A solar heating system also works well, and runs on similar lines to a solar hot water system. The main difference is that the heated liquid is pumped around the whole house, rather than just a hot water tank. This will be relatively easy if your home already has radiators, and it shouldn’t be too difficult to change over to a fully solar heated arrangement.

It is sensible to ensure that you have some sort of emergency plan in place whatever you decide to choose to heat your house and water. It is a good idea to have contingency plans, just in case any problems arise with your solar heating or solar hot water panels.

Let us also considers Solar Thermal Power as one of our source. Continue Here.

Off Grid Living

Off grid living can mean different things to different people. The simple version is living independently from public utility companies and providing your own electricity, but for many it can mean more than this.

Basic Independence

Separating yourself from the power grid cannot happen overnight. There are some decisions you will have to make first, such as what sort of alternative energy you will be relying on to take the place of conventional power. It is also important to work out if it is even feasible for you to consider if it is possible for you to fulfill your household’s energy requirements without the help of public utilities.

Where you live will be a big factor in your decision. The most common choices for renewable power are wind, solar or hydroelectric power, though usually wind power is the most viable and cost effective provided you have plenty of space in which to install it. Any of the three options are viable however, or you can combine all three in order to maximize your potential energy income.

Backing Up

You should always ensure that you have a backup system in place whatever alternative energy you decide to opt for in your quest for off grid living. You can go for a battery powered generator, which is an environmentally friendly option, or you could choose a gas generator. Or, you could simply decide to stay connected to the grid but use the power from your alternative energy sources rather than draw off the grid.

Giving Back

There is one very strong argument for staying connected to the grid while using the power you’re your alternative energy sources, and that is the ability to sell your excess power back to the power company. If your alternative energy sources are providing more electricity than your household needs, you can put this power back into the grid and make a bit of profit from it.

Meeting Your Needs

Before you fully convert to off grid living, it is important to ensure that you can meet your home’s electricity requirements by producing your own electricity. You will need to work out how much energy you actually need, which can take a fair bit of thought and research.

You can also reduce your energy requirements in a number of small, easy ways. For example, don’t leave appliances and chargers plugged in when they are not being used. Try to research the energy efficiency of your appliances, and whenever you need to buy new, opt for the most energy efficient model. Simple techniques like this will make your transition to off grid living much easier.

Still needs clarification? Well check it Here.

How to Make Solar Panels

Solar panels are attracting lots of interest in our society today, as people become more aware of environmental issues. Solar panels are a great alternative to fossil fuels, although there are not as many people using them as there should be, and even fewer who know how to make their own solar panels. The equipment and know-how have improved hugely in the last twenty years, but there is still room for improvement and widespread interest in the public sector.

Taking Advantage of Solar Power

It is important to collect information about your personal electricity usage, and the cost of installing panels in your area relative to the cost of power. Making your own solar panels is not as simple as making your own wind turbine for instance, but you can at least install them yourself, thereby lessening the costs of setting up solar power

Photovoltaic solar panels are made mainly of silicon, which absorbs the sun’s rays and separates the electrons to create an electric charge. This power can be channeled by using a metal connection and stored in a battery.

People have been using solar power in one form or another since the 1950s. You can make solar panels yourself, but you may have problems when it comes to the efficiency of your panels. If you are not careful, the costs can be very high with very little return.

Your Options

If you make a solar panel without using silicon and other expensive material, you can make it from copper and it will be next to useless; barely even producing one watt of power.

A better method is to buy a few supplies first, then you may end up with a panel that can provide your home with electricity and leave you free form the power grid. You can buy solar panels from a variety of different sources, and their prices will differ according to their level of efficiency. A really good panel can cost four times as much as a less efficient one.

The rule of thumb when looking into the cost of solar installation is that it will cost you around $9 per watt, and you will need to reduce your electricity usage to enable yourself to live off the power grid.

Does it Pay Off?

Most people wonder whether solar panels will be worth the investment, and the truth is that they will take roughly 20-40 years to pay for themselves. That is in today’s climate however, and it is important to remember that in the future things may be very different, and with the push towards green renewable energy, it may be possible to separate yourself from the grid sooner than you think.

If you are looking into solar panels just for fun, or if you are serious about substituting your energy consumption from conventional power, solar power is a truly rewarding route to go down.

Build Your Own Wind Turbine

More and more homeowners are using renewable energy to separate themselves from the power grid. Renewable energy is a powerful resource, and although solar energy seems to be at the forefront of this movement, wind power is just as effective and the set up costs are much cheaper. All you need in order to be able to install a wind turbine on your property is space to build it, and a steady source of wind.

Wind Turbine Needs

To build and install your own wind turbine, there are a few things that you will need.

• Space. This is essential, as without sufficient space your wind turbine could either be too small, or could be obstructed by buildings or trees.
• You must live in an area where wind turbines are acceptable. All sizes of turbine cause noise, and some people feel that they are an eyesore. You may struggle to get a building permit if you live in a suburb or a rural neighbourhood, and you don’t first talk to your neighbours.
• A reliable source of wind is also vital. This can be easier than you would imagine, as a steady wind of 11 MPH can provide enough power to provide up to 90% of the energy needs of a small household. This is good news for those living in out of the way places with a steady wind.

Building Your Wind Turbine

One of the differences between a solar panel and a wind turbine is simplicity. A wind turbine is surprisingly simple, and building one doesn’t involve you spending hundreds of dollars on things like specialist wiring, turbines and parts. Even the process is simple-the wind turns the blades of the windmill, these blades turn the turbine, then the energy created from this is channeled into copper wire which can then be transferred directly to your home, or stored in a battery.
All you will need is a generator, windmill blades, the mountings and tower, and the parts to transfer energy to your home and store the energy. You have a wide choice when it comes to batteries for storage. Small commercial batteries are the best as they are cheap, and convenient in terms of size.
Blades for your windmill are also easy-you can either buy them ready made online, or you can make your own. They must be hard wearing, lightweight enough not to put strain on the tower or the motor, and concave in order to catch the wind. You can use plastic, PVC pipe, plastic bottles-the possibilities are endless.

Here are some guides that will help you thru it. Check Here!


Putting It All Together

A strong foundation for your wind turbine is essential. Once you have started to build wind turbine parts, start looking into making a sturdy tower to support the blades and generator. Build a solid foundation, using strong metal struts for maximum support. Make sure your structure is clear of trees and other obstructions.
Your wind turbine will be a great way to catch and store energy to be used in your home-but make sure you take the time to understand how a good windmill works and the parts which are most efficient.  The sky is the limit!

Wondering why doing this so? Well your doing Mother Nature a big favor. Browse here to learn more!

Go SOLAR with Earth 4 Energy

Make your own Solar Power and save $$$.

Do you want to save thousands off the cost of solar panels?
Of course you do!

Did you know? A basic solar installation from a retailer can take 30 years to pay back and cost you well over $20,000?

This is simply too much for many to afford and the pay back time is far too long. This prompted Michael Harvey to do some research into how the solar panels are created and how he could make them himself.

If you have already contacted your local solar supplier then pretty much sure you already know how expensive installation can be.You probably thought - "That's far too much for me to afford".

But not with Earth 4 Energy. Michael Harvey and Mark makes the best manuals for you to used. This will help you build your own solar panel. You will learn how to make a solar panel that produces up to 120 watts. Moreover, you can then join these panels together to produce over 1KW of power.

Check them Right Here.

Wondering why Michael and Mark decided to use Solar?
Read more about solar energy at livejournal.

Solar Power - An Alternative Power Source

Why solar energy?

Well, obviously it is because most of our energy comes from the sun, and the sun generates more energy abundantly everyday than we would possibly ever need. The sun
did always provides enough energy for all form of life on earth. There is a strong evidence to suggest that we could power our whole society by harnessing the heat of the sun on certain technologies. One scientist has actually said that everyday the sun generates more energy than the six billion people who live on earth would use in more than 30 years. The sun will never stop shining – it is a huge star millions of miles away,and we will always be able to get energy from the sun. The sun provides the energy for practically all life on earth and keeps the planet warm enough for all this to exist. Despite the clear advantages of solar energy, the impact of solar power on society has been very small – less than 0.05% of the nation’s electricity comes from solar generating stations.

Solar energy is advantageous because of the low cost involved. First of all, sunlight is free so when you install solar energy you will not have to pay for a kilowatt of electricity ever again. Although there are costs involved with the initial setting up of solar energy, you will actually be saving a lot of money in the long run. Many people only think that solar energy can be used as a power source in places where it is hot and constantly sunny. This is not actually the case – it does not actually matter how hot it is, you just need the brightness of the sun for this energy alternative. Solar heating works in cold regions because there is still some brightness from the sun.

Solar collectors are an alternative technology that is being used by many people
worldwide for lightning and warming the house and also to heat water for showering and washing. This technology has many benefits - it provides hot water in times of electricity shortage, and a cheaper option for electricity too.

Also in using solar power as our source of energy helps lessen the use of fossil fuels. The deposits of fossil fuels started to goes down and that is why we need to use the alternative power source available. Read more about fossil fuels here.

Interested about solar powers being use in the electronic gadgets?
Check some in here ==> Real Energy Solution

Renewable Sources: An Alternative Power Source

Wondering how much energy being consumed everyday?

Wondering if the supply of energy distributed can sustain a long years of society's power consumption?
How about the whole country? 
How about the whole world?

Look around you most of the things that we use daily in our everyday living consumed power. The time that we flick on our light switch, turned on our hair dryer, our computer, our refrigerator, and many other things we use a huge amount of energy everyday of our lives and we now need to find an alternative energy source. Everyday as we uses those things our sources also starts to runs low.

Would there be enough power to be used?

 .....continue reading in Real Energy Solutions Australia


Or you can visit the site "Michael Harvey built his own energy systems"