Adrian Whittle asked:

Solar power for your home is an increasingly attractive alternative to traditional forms of energy, be they grid electricity or burning fossil fuels in the home. There are a number of reasons for this. There are the economic realities of energy production now and in the future. There is the ethical issue of using a non-renewable energy source and a moral issue with regards to the damage that fossil fuels do to the environment. This article will cover some of these issues and cover how solar power for the home addresses some of these issues.

Grid electricity and the use of fossil fuels costs money and this will only go up as the resources that power grid electricity get harder to find. In California, it is estimated that it is cheaper to make solar electricity than it is to use the grid variety. This is hitting people in their collective wallets and purses and causing a search for alternatives. Again in California, there are many incentives to install solar panel into homes. There are even incentives for building companies to pre-install solar panels in homes.

This seems to make a lot of sense. The major benefit of solar power, after initial cost and installation, is that the power that is created is free provided the Sun keeps on shining. The cost to buy and install solar panels is now not so expensive and the incentives and rebates make it more attractive. It also seems that over time the cost of solar power can only go down. The technology will become more efficient and the technology to build solar panels will become cheaper. Contrast this with the cost of finding and extracting fossil fuels. This cost will only go up over time.

Given the finite nature of fossil fuels, solar power and other alternative methods of creating power seem to be far more accepted than the other alternative – nuclear power. The average person in the street is generally uncertain, if not, opposed to nuclear power, given the numerous nuclear accidents that have occurred. Having said this, governments seem to prefer nuclear power because it is more reliable on a large scale than solar power or wind power. However, this is not the case for the individual home. It seems that solar panels on the roofs of suburban homes will soon be a common place site rather than an unusual one.

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Arnold Hexden asked:

Solar power has many more uses around your home than just solar heating. The technology has made significant advances and you can now cook, heat your pool and even refrigerate your groceries using energy from the sun. However, your solar home may have issues that you may be unaware of. In this article, we’ll talk about the economic and environmental benefits and drawbacks of using solar power.

The biggest benefit of solar energy is that the fuel is free and the source is unlimited. There is little to no maintenance required with solar panels because there are no moving parts. In fact, most manufacturers include warranties on their products that are good for up to twenty-five years. In the event of a blackout, solar power is not affected. That means that during extreme storms, your family can still enjoy all the comforts of your solar home.

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Energy Matters asked:

These days we are experiencing a growing awareness to the fact that our energy resources, as they have been used in the last few years, are probably not going to last for long and that the energy markets are exposed to more and more rapid changes, some due to political reasons and others because of the changing climate of the planet.

Solar energy is a renewable free source of energy which is sustainable as it is not inexhaustible, unlike fossil fuels which are finite. It is also a non-polluting source of energy and it does not emit any greenhouse gases when producing electricity. The solar electricity that is produced can supplement your entire or partial energy consumption. Using solar energy means reducing your energy bills and saving money. Also having solar PV panels adds value to your home, they are low maintenance and unobtrusive. Germany is the global leader for solar-generated electricity.

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Bryan Wong asked:


When the electrical utility bill is increasing each and every month you can do a few things. You can cry and pull out your hair; refuse to pay and get cut off and have no utilities; you could work harder and more hours each month to keep up the rising costs; or you could invest in other alternative sources of energy to cut the electrical utility bill. One of these alternative sources of energy is solar energy. And indeed, you will need to invest that means putting in your own (or borrowed) money, but the investment can make a huge difference for now and many years to come.
Solar energy is derived from the power emitted by the sun to produce energy. The sun emits enough energy on the Earth in one day to supply the needs of the world for one year. The amount of solar power that the Earth receives from the sun is estimated to be 770 trillion kilowatts or an amount 5,000 times bigger than the sum of all energy resources we are using, may it be nuclear, geothermal, or gravitational energy. The estimated remaining life of the sun is around 4.5 billion years.
Solar power is produced primarily through the use of photovoltaic cells, or commonly known as the solar cells. The process of converting solar power into electricity is as follows: The solar cells are placed under direct sunlight. The rays of the sun hits the cells initiating a chemical reaction that creates an electric current. This current is later turned into electricity.
There are two classification of solar power: passive solar and active solar. The first classification does not make use of panel systems or other moving mechanisms to produce solar power. Instead, it involves planning a structure in such a way that it can capture the rays of the sun with windows, tanks, and other permanent structure. This system can be used to provide heat to houses, water, and so on.
The second classification involves the solar panels or the group of solar cells. These panels are placed in such away that its exposure to the sunlight is maximized. It will convert sunlight to electricity, which is transformed later on from direct current (DC) electricity to alternate current (AC) electricity, and consumed it immediately or store it in batteries. It may be also fed into the grid system of the local utility.
The Pros and Cons of Solar Power
There are some disadvantages of using solar power. These are the following:

Initial costs on installation of solar power systems can be quite expensive.
Cloudy weather condition can be a problem in collecting solar power for some systems.
If you live in area where there is little sun shine this will be a problem.
Solar power can not be produced at night.

There are numerous advantages of using solar power. These are enumerated in the following items:

Solar power is almost limitless. Remember that the remaining life span of the sun is estimated to be 4.5 billion years.
It is relatively abundant.
It can be absorbed, reflected, transmitted, and insulated.
It can be stored in batteries for night time use.

Using solar power is not only a solid investment for years to come it also saves the environment. Thus this investment is not doesn’t only saves you money but you making this world a better place to live in for years to come. Investing in solar power is worth your money, don’t overlook the potential.

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