Solar Power Systems

2:04 AM Solar Power Systems 1 Comment

Solar power systems have experienced a surge in popularity because of the rising cost of conventional energy sources. By, adding a solar energy system to your home, you can recoup your investment over a few years and continue to save money on utility bills for the life of your system.

The lion's share of the electric utility expense is used in heating the house in the winter and cooling the house during summer months. If you live in the northern climates with intensely cold winters, heating bills during the winter can be astronomical for a home that is only mid-sized. In the Deep South, the greatest expense is often from cooling the house during the hot, humid spring, summer and fall months. Solar power systems, lower these expenses and even help in the cost of hot water generation and cooking.

Perhaps the simplest solar power system to install is a solar hot water heater that can produce some or all of the household needs. In most households, however, this is a small share of the utility expense compared to heating and cooling. Simply, solar hot water heating systems can be built in a weekend and installed by a good handy person with tools that are probably already around the house.

To turn the focus on to production of solar electricity, however, is a bit more complex. Solar power systems that collect the sun's solar rays require a roof-top solar collector panel or panels. In most cases where a good share of the home's electric power is to be generated by the sun, several collectors are often required. These can be purchased or home-built using designs purchased from online sources or found in the local library. The engineering is reasonably simple and construction is not that difficult.