Solar energy is one of the great technological advances of our time. It saves average people a lot of money and helps large corporations operate in an environmentally friendly manner. If you are considering making the switch to solar, read on. This article will show you the benefits and how you can make them work for you.
Do your research before you buy or install anything. It is important that you know what you’re allowed to have in place, what is the best choice for efficiency and what sort of a budget you’re working with. Once you have those answers in hand, you’ll be able to go forward with your project.
When it comes to solar energy, the sky is truly the limit, so learn about your options before you buy. How much space are you allowed, by local law, to fill with solar equipment? Can you sell excess energy back to the grid? What sort of regulations are in place?
Keep the trees around your solar energy panels trimmed. Shade from trees can limit the sun’s rays that are hitting your panels, thereby causing your panels to work less effectively. In order to avoid this problem, make sure to trim back leaves and branches regularly. This is easy to do, and it is cost effective too.
Consider your home’s outside design when thinking about solar energy. Having solar-powered pathway lights installed outside is an easy way to use solar energy at home. If you’re building a home, positioning it so that it can take advantage of the sun’s rays is also beneficial. Well-oriented homes filter in winter sun rays in the south-facing windows and that can reduce heating bills.
Think about the money that you send to your power companies each month. How would you like to keep that money in your pocket? Changing to solar power will do that for you. After you pay off the initial investment, the money you used to pay to the power company will stay in your wallet.
Power sources that are run by fossil fuels are run by machines that require motors. Those motors require constant maintenance. With solar energy systems, there are limited parts required so they are extremely low maintenance. You will save money on fuel as well as maintaining the system over the years.
You can save on heating costs by having solar photovoltaic panels installed or using solar water heating. If you can count on five hours of sunlight a day, you should consider investing in photo-voltaic panels. Solar heating can lower the cost of keeping a pool heated.
Consider installing more solar panels than your home will ever need. If you do this you will be doing two good things. First, you will earn money on any energy created that your home does not use. Second, you will be reducing the amount of fossil fuels burned to power the homes of your neighbors.
Once your solar panels are installed, you need to keep track of how much power you are producing and using on a daily basis. Invest in a quality monitoring system and look at the data as often as possible. If you notice your panels are not producing as much energy as usual, it might be time to clean them.
Do not clean your solar panels with abrasive chemicals. You should use some lukewarm water, a soft cloth and some biodegradable soap if needed. Clean your panels at least once a month or more frequently if you notice your green energy system is not producing as much power as it should.
Always use non abrasive cleansers on your solar panels. An abrasive cleaner can scratch the surface of the panel and cause permanent damage and affect how well the solar panel works. There are commercial cleaning solutions to use or you can use a pool skimmer with a very soft cloth on it.
Check the regulations where you live prior to installing your solar energy system. Permits are required in a lot of locations. You would hate to install a system and then have to take it down due to regulations.
Maximize the output of your solar panels by adjusting them seasonally. Adjusting your panels twice a year, once in the summer and once in the winter, will ensure that your panels are producing the maximum amount of energy by taking into account the earth’s changing position relative to the sun.
Don’t waste your time lining the solar panels beneath an array of florescent lights–though it may sound tempting. Solar cells are not designed to generate a voltage from fluorescent light sources and this is a waste of energy of time. Any spot in the yard would be a better location for the panels.
Solar power may very well be the answer to the pollution problems plaguing an advanced society. It can also save the average home owner a ton of money on their utility bills! Consider this option in your life and how much you and future generations stand to benefit from the power of solar energy.
Danbury CT