Solar Power: An Alternative Energy That’s Time Has Come
President Bush is right; we Americans are addicted to oil. Sadly, many of us
feel that it is the other person’s responsibility to conserve energy and save
our planet. While traveling during the holidays, I over heard a couple of
business travelers speaking. They were in agreement that something has be done
about the increasing price of gas, but neither were willing to give up their
high performance cars. One person evenly laughingly stated, “Why should I care
about what happens to the oil supply in the next 200 years? I won’t be here.”
Other people feel that switching to coal and diesel fuel will solve our
problems. However, according to the coal industry, there is only 250 years of
reserve coal. In addition, it is important to understand that since 1980, the
coal usage has increased over 75% because of our growing demand for electricity.
So, whether you are tired of paying exorbitant energy bills, or you’ve decided
that you do want to live a more environmentally friendly way of life so that
your children and grandchildren will have a cleaner planet to live on. Solar
power is a choice that offers many advantages, including that it doesn’t produce
any harmful waste. In fact, solar energy produces no waste at all. Another
benefit of solar energy is that it is a free and renewable energy source.
However, the initial cost of outfitting a home for solar power can be costly.
Yet, the amount of money saved over approximately 10 to 12 years will quickly
pay for the cost of the installation.
For many homeowners, the most common method of harnessing solar power is with
the use of solar panels, which are also called solar collectors. Solar panels
are made up of photovoltaic cells (PV cells). These PV cells have the ability to
covert sunlight into electricity that can be used to provide hot water, heat to
the home, and even power the electrical appliances. The solar panels are
generally mounted on the roof of a building, facing true south so that they can
receive the maximum amount of sunlight. The amount of energy consumed by the
homeowner will determine the size of the solar panel needed, as well as the type
of solar panel. For areas that have building restrictions, there are solar
panels that closely resemble roofing tiles. Other benefits using solar panels is
that they require very little maintenance, and will last for decades.
To help reduce energy cost and to teach children about conservation, many school
systems have already or are in the process of converting to solar power. This
has also provided a means for the school systems to use the money, which was
being spent on their enormously high electricity bills and spend it on better
educating the children in these systems. Think about what you could do with the
money you save if you install a solar energy system.
If you are seriously considering using solar energy, you’ll be happy to know
that many states offer solar energy grants and insensitive to help pay for a
portion of the costs associated with installation. These grants and incentives
include the installation of solar water and photovoltaic systems. Check with
your local energy administration bureau or check the National Database of State
Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE). DSIRE offers information on financial
and regulatory incentives to promote renewable energy technologies. The website
for DSIRE is: dsireusa.org/
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