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  • Improved Solar Affordability And Incentives Make It Easy To Switch Now

    Posted on January 19th, 2012 Nathan Thompson No comments

    The price of carbon-based fuels like crude oil, coal, and gas oil continue going up, straining budgets. Savings achieved by switching to solar energy continue increasing as a result. Moreover, governments are assisting people to make the switch to solar. They have introduced a range of measures to improve solar affordability and incentives and in that way encourage the switch to solar. The move is also a positive for a cleaner, greener environment. Finally, it can assist national security because it reduces dependence on oil imports.

    Both national and state governments extend incentives. The range of incentives is very large. In the USA, the federal 2005 Energy Bill was a landmark piece of legislation that provides significant benefits for people installing solar systems. It established a 30 percent residential energy credit for solar for two years capped at two thousand dollars. At the regional level, sun states like California, Texas and Florida are leaders in offering incentives.

    A specific case study may be helpful for readers. In Florida, a homeowner installing fifty or sixty thousand dollars worth of energy product can expect to receive tax credits and rebates valued at over fifteen thousand dollars. The precise amount will depend on the particular products installed. Solar water heaters, a solar pool heaters and solar power (photovoltaic) systems attract particularly strong incentives.

    The federal government offers tax incentives for the purchase of solar photovoltaic systems that generate electricity and solar water heaters. At the state level, Florida provides rebates on the purchase of solar water heaters and pool heaters. Arrangements vary from state to state.

    Subsidized finance is also provided. Green loans at government subsidized rates are available to support purchase of solar products. Fannie Mae allows home owners to roll-up the purchase price into their home mortgage loan. This allows the homeowner to finance the purchase at a home mortgage interest rate rather than a higher interest rate applying, for example, to a personal loan.

    Switching to solar products can be a big boost for the environment. For example, installing a solar hot water can decrease carbon emissions of the average sized household by about 1 ton each year, (the actual figure will vary depending on the fuel source of the existing heater). This is equivalent to the carbon emitted by a petrol car driving 10, 000 miles.

    In summary, the switch to solar energy products is firmly underway by homes and businesses alike. Solar affordability and incentives offered by national and state governments assist the switch. The environment is better for it.

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    At Solar Systems USA, we are convinced that the call to change from fossil fuel dependency is not just the duty of governments but for us all. Our website has products and information to get you started on this noble cause.

  • Harvesting The Power Of The Sun To Create Solar Electricity

    Posted on July 26th, 2011 Owen Jones No comments

    Free energy … What a dream, eh? One of the biggest household burdens is the cost of energy. The cost of energy is often 40% of total domestic bills. So, free energy would assist every family that is not rich a great deal. However, free energy is a pipe dream, is it not? There is alternative energy, that is non fossil fuel based energy, like nuclear energy, but that is not low-cost either.

    Other alternative sources of energy are wind-driven turbines and solar power. In this piece, I want to discuss harnessing the power of the sun to make solar electricity. Creating solar power is nothing new and most people are familiar with the general theory of how the scheme works. In fact, most of us have owned a solar powered pocket calculator or solar powered clock at one time or another.

    Solar electricity is just as good and just as strong as conventionally generated electricity and they can be used for precisely the same purposes. However, solar energy has one massive advantage, it is not ‘dirty’.

    Electricity created from the sun’s energy has not been made creating any greenhouse gases at all. Furthermore, because there are no moving parts in a solar panel, there is no wear and tear and so less maintenance.

    Solar panel systems are more adaptable too. For instance, if you have a small house with few appliances, you still have to have the same method of delivering grid electricity as a huge house and you still have to have a metering system and a system of paying for the electricity used.

    However, if you take the same small house as an example, you might find that ten solar panels will power it. Therefore, for a one-off expense, you are free of electricity pylons and their cables, the meter box and the monthly bills. A huge house would just have to fit more panels, say one hundred, to achieve the same freedom.

    This freedom from the instruments of supplying electricity is a very real benefit if you live in a remote place, where you are expected to pay for the electricity pylons and their cables all on your own. The down side of using solar power is the cost of installation. A professionally fitted solar energy system can cost about $30,000.

    If you save $200 per month on electricity, then you will recover your outlay in about 300 months, which is 12.5 years. However, if you could get the system fitted more economically, you would recover your costs more rapidly.

    This is possible, by building the solar panels yourself and installing them yourself. No matter what sort of a ham-fisted person you think you are, you can put together and install the average solar panel kit. In deed, most teenagers can do the job. If you decide to buy solar panel kits to assemble yourself, you can save about half of the above costs, but if you were to make the panels from parts that are easily obtainable in DIY shops, you could be harnessing the power of the sun to make solar energy for up to 75% of the cost of a professional installation.

    Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on many topics, but is currently involved with a favourite topic, types of renewable energy. If you are interested in Sustainable Energy At Home, please click through to our site.

  • New Advancements In Solar Power – Concentrated Photovoltaic And Thermoelectric

    Posted on April 11th, 2011 Javier Laffey No comments

    Renewable energy is a growing business and cities all over the world are taking advantage of its endless power production. However, to make it truly useful, most devices that utilize the power sources of renewable energy need to be build in bulk. Wind and solar panel farms provide excellent quantities of electricity, but are built to such a size that they’re impractical for home-use. Home-applicable products are available for home use, albeit less productive and quite costly, but are growing more technologically advanced everyday. To see what improvements are being made, let’s look into the new advancements in solar power.

    Thermovoltaic Technology

    Thermovoltaic devices are created to convert the difference in temperatures between two different materials into a usable electric current. This provides an excellent addition to the existing usage of sun power.

    Solar panels traditional work by utilizing the flow of protons sinking into the semiconductor silicon material. They cause the electrons to flow through the panel to make a current that can then be harnessed. The flow usually goes from the front to the back of the panel, due to them being negative electrons.

    A lot of the energy is wasted, however, as it is primarily heat from being under the sun’s rays. By employing thermoelectric technology in conjunction with solar panels, additional efficiency is gained. For any home-owner looking for the sun’s power to incorporate into their home, making the most of the energy provided is an excellent step forward.

    Concentrated Photovoltaics Technology

    Otherwise known as CPV, this form of the sun’s power technology works in a similar manner to traditional solar panels. Instead of simply catching the sunlight on a panel, the light is concentrated onto a smaller area to provide a stronger electrical current and more electricity. The surface area needed to catch the light is smaller and more electricity is produced, meaning the overall cost is also reduced.

    This makes it especially applicable for home use, where both space and cost is a concern. The reason for this price drop is directly tied to the reduction in materials. With less materials needed to make the necessary panels, the cost is lowered.

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  • What You Need To Know About Solar Power System

    Posted on September 26th, 2010 Cornell Reckers No comments

    Investing in an alternate power solution is a wise way to help the serious energy crisis the world is dealing with today. With this, it aids the government in combating energy crisis in a much better way as well as it aids in saving power for the whole world. At least as a charitable effort, it is best to install an alternate energy solution.

    Two of the most famous alternate power solutions which can be less complicated are the solar energy system and the wind power system. Due to the pre-requisites needed in the wind power system, not all people can make use of it in their homes even though it might be a good idea. When installing a wind power system, you have to have a big area having an average wind speed of 11 miles per hour. In comparison, the solar power system is easier to implement. All you have to have is only energy from the sun.

    The solar power system contains several components. A few of these components are utilized by a certain number of individuals in accordance with their needs. Outlined below are the several components of solar power.

    Solar cooker: It is one of the most famous solar power system installed in different homes. Here are its benefits:

    o Healthy cooking – The solar cooker cooks foods which are really healthy. A small cooking container may be utilized in cooking for a family of five.

    o Variety cooking – The food may be cooked in a variety of ways like boiling, roasting, or baking.

    o No fuel – The solar cooker will not make use any type of fuel other than the energy of the sun hence letting you conserve power.

    o No emissions – The solar cooker does not emit any gases or leave any residue. It makes for the most environment-friendly cooking system.

    Solar generator: The solar generator is a device that runs all your electrical appliances using the solar energy. This generator turns solar energy into electrical energy through the photovoltaic cells. Another name for the solar generator is the solar lighting system. The solar generator reserves energy in cells for future use. Putting up a solar generator at home can be the perfect solution for you to conserve power as well as money. Imagine running the electrical appliances without worrying about paying any bills!

    Solar thermal system: Implementing a solar thermal system or solar heating system at home takes care of your home’s temperature needs. You may make your entire house warm and cozy without having to stress about the bills. Because of its popularity, the solar thermal system will both fit in your budget as well as gratify your eyes. Such systems can no longer make your eye sore.

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  • Getting Advice On Alternative Energy Stocks

    Posted on August 19th, 2010 Trevor Gartreese No comments

    Is it true that money is what makes the world go around? Crazy as it may sound, there can be instances where people face a variety of problems with money as their only solution. It’s true that life can be unfair at times, but if you are someone who wants to have a strong bank balance by the time you retire, taking a little risk can sometimes bring you that luck. A diverse portfolio can be a solution if you are thinking of investing in different categories. Your risk of losing is minimized and you open up new avenues of earning money. Now isn’t that great?

    It’s true that investing in alternative energy stocks carry a high risk, but with risk comes profit. If one needs to earn millions of dollars, taking the first step is necessary, and in this case, a little risk of investing in alternative energy stocks.

    Did you know that the market for alternative energy stocks could be worth for more than $13 billion dollars by the year 2013? This is what analysts predict and it could come true if investors do their job wisely. If you are an owner of a small company and one of the alternative energy stocks that you have invested on becomes the course of the future, you could end up as the next Bill Gates. Alternative energy stocks have the potential of growing and if you decide to invest on it, chances are that you and your company could profit as well.

    We all know how the United States and other countries depend on foreign oil that is purchased at sky rocketing prices. The research for alternative energy stocks has resulted in companies offering help to eliminate the problems of these depleting resources.

    The only setback of investing in alternative energy stocks is that there is no right way of choosing which energy resource is the best. There are different kinds of alternative energy stocks to look at with geothermal and solar power being some. Taking a chance on solar power might end up as a wrong decision when the world chooses oceanic thermal power instead. This is why you should get help from a financial advisor before deciding on the alternative energy stocks that are available. Since the market for alternative energy stocks is just starting, you could have the potential of growing in the long term.

    Are you interested in even more tips about puget sound energy? You will find more helpful info on green living having an eco-friendly lifestyle and alternative energy for your home here: http://gogreenenergyforhome.com

  • New Green Social Network

    Posted on May 18th, 2010 Mario Silverman No comments

    Have you ever wanted to have green energy at home to save money, but couldn’t afford it? Perhaps you are in that situation now?

    If so, you are not alone. There are millions of Americans out there right now who want Solar, Wind Power, or other forms of alternative energy but just do not have the money.

    There is a ton of information online about how to do these things yourself, but what if you have questions? Are you going to wait for the unresponsive site owner that sold you the e-book to respond? Not likely to happen!

    So what should a DIY Social Network provide its users? Here is a list:

    1.) Provide Easy Access to other users- this is fairly basic, but how easy is it to access other users on TreeHugger.com?

    2.) Provide QUALITY Information that can save your users lots of money every year- again, this seems basic but most “green social networks” only give opinions regarding the “evil” job creating Republicans or the greenest vacation destinations.

    3.) Allow Users simple ways to get together so they can help each other with their questions or projects!

    That’s all there is! Of course, couple that with a fancy site and some great living info and you are all set! I get disgusted with these “green social networks” that act as if they are some great gift to the world, when the people who run and write for those networks are the very one’s destroying our society. Seriously, are bamboo floors or “sustainable furniture” going to put any money back in your pocket? Not at all.

    There is a solution to this issue. There is a social network, a Green Energy Social Network called GreenFuelSpot.com. They specialize in DIY Alternative Energy, all the way from DIY wind turbines to Hydrogen fuel cells and HHO.

    This social network does not destroy society’s fabric, but instead embraces job creation, and embraces reducing dependence on foreign oil by making fuel at home. At GreenFuelSpot.com, you can learn all of these things, and then get help with any issues that may arise, all for free!

    GreenFuelSpot.com is a Social Network that focuses on DIY Renewable Power to help save people just like you cash.

  • How Lighting Can Provide Atmosphere And Save Money

    Posted on May 16th, 2010 Owen Jones No comments

    There is no doubt that lighting has the greatest influence on atmosphere and. Soft lighting in a bedroom or at an intimate dinner results in a romantic ambiance; bright, purposeful lighting in the office or kitchen shows that you mean business; dimmed lighting in the living room creates a relaxing atmosphere in which to watch a film or read a book.

    Soft, back lighting behind flowers or a waterfall leads to a magical atmosphere, whereas severe floodlights turned on by a motion sensor would freeze most intruders in their tracks.

    Getting the lighting wrong can have a seriously unfavourable effect on any room or occasion. Imagine a romantic dinner for two by candlelight and then imagine it by a naked 100 watt bulb hanging from the ceiling or a fluorescent tube.

    It is said that the average household can save at least twenty-five percent on its electricity bills by using lighting more effectively and therefore more efficiently. More importantly, you could save more than sixty percent, if you swap from the normal incandescent light bulbs to high-output compact fluorescent lights. Sixty percent is a massive saving for you, your country and your planet.

    Here are some of the ways that you can achieve savings on the energy you currently use up on lighting.

    Insert dimmers wherever you use lighting. You can insert a touch lamp dimmer into the wiring of any lamp, so that when you touch it, it cycles from low, to medium, to high, to off. You will be amazed how often you will lower the light once you are able to, especially in the case of desk or table lamps and standard floor lamps.

    In a similar vein is the touch switch that you can utilize to control lighting that traditionally hangs from the ceiling. You will be able to turn down the lights in any room and on the patio or deck too.

    Photosensitive switches turn whatever they control off or on when the sun comes up. This is handy if you have motion-activated anti-intruder lighting. There is absolutely no need for it in the daytime, but you do not want to have to remember to switch it off in the mornings and reactivate it every night either.

    Another use could be to turn the fishpond fountain off when it gets dark. All of these photosensitive switches can have over-ride switches too. These photosensitive devices will virtually half the cost of running the systems to which they are attached.

    It is very easy to make quite substantial savings if you put your mind to it. Just moving your furniture to take full advantage of natural light can help a lot too. Sitting near a window or in the garden to read the newspaper is far better than having to put the kitchen light on to read it in there.

    In the evening it is better to switch off all the main lights in the living room if you are watching television or reading a book and place one standard floor lamp just to one side behind you. It is plenty to read by or to save your eyes from the strain of watching TV in the dark.

    Owen Jones, the writer of this article writes on several subjects, but is at present involved with researching wrought iron floor lamps. If you would like to know more or check out great offers, please go to our website at Wrought Iron Light

  • Alternative Energy Solutions

    Posted on April 16th, 2010 Andrew McGregor No comments

    Effective production of power and energy with the environmental safety and maintenance in mind is done by alternative energy solutions of the present times. People have been stressing their desire of using fossil fuels for energy production purposes and this has been proved fatal by scientists and researchers. They cause irreversible damage to the environment and the fossil fuels of the earth are the non reusable energy resources. Eventual overuse of the same will result in depletion of the stocks and finally the entire stock of fuels will disappear. Hence, in order to save irreplaceable energy resources, we need to use alternative energy solutions.

    Large number of alternative energy solutions has been identified by the scientists and researchers of the world and they have been trying to improve the quality and methods of production of energy from them for so long. Some of solutions which have been put into practice are as follows;

    Wind power. Wind power harvests the wind and converts it into electricity. This is done by using wind generators such as turbines etc. Wind turbines are basically large fans which rotate due to wind and then their kinetic energy is converted into electricity. Large farms of wind turbines are being used to generate electricity successfully around the world. Floating wind farms in the middle of the sea are now being tested as they can harvest more wind without any obstructions such as hills, etc.

    Biomass or Biogas is the fuel obtained from plants and organic matter available in the earth and they are produced by first transforming them into briquettes and then by burning them to a specific form in a specialized boiler. They produce heat and generate methane when treated with an anaerobic environment of bacterial decomposition. The heat is then used to run turbines and generators which produce electricity and the natural gas or the methane gas produced can be used as a cooking fuel. Biomass, which is the resultant quantity of the process, will function as a cleaner.

    Harnessing the power from the sun is possible by the process of solar energy conversion process and they are done by using solar panels to gather the sun rays, converting them to electricity. Storing them in batteries as backup for its use at night is possible here and when this process is combined with the wind power generation, a continuous power supply is possible for our needs.

    If you interested in alternative energy ideas – please find out more about wind generator power, solar energy, alternative and renewable energy solutions on our website www.windgenarator.info

  • Solar Panel Heating System

    Posted on January 1st, 2010 Evans D. Smith No comments

    The advantages of a solar cell heating system are truly stupendous. Anyone that isn’t mindful of this is truly missing out because there isn’t any better time to have a passive or active solar heating system installed in your house than now. Before you go ahead with a solar panel heating system there are a couple of things that you’re going to need to find out more about.

    Why Install it?

    Why on Earth would someone wish to install a solar cell heating system in their home? There are lots of reasons in truth. Installing solar heating in houses has considerable ecological advantages and as well decreases the CO2 emissions due to burning ordinary fuels. So it’s a superb way to make your house more green and know that you aren’t going to be doing any farther damage to the world around you.

    Benefits

    Besides the environmental benefits, there are also many others that you will want to be aware of before installing one of these systems in your own home. There is the cost-effectiveness for one, and although you will have to shell out a bit of money initially to get the system going, it will more than pay itself off in the long run.

    These systems are fantastically trustworthy and sturdy, and will last you an entire life so long as they’ve been installed correctly.

    As well, they take up little space in the home. A common system for a family of four will need not more than forty to 80 sq. feet of unrestricted southern exposure which is little room in the slightest. So do not think that you have got to employ a full basement or other area solely to have the solar heating system installed in your house because that is wrong.

    Care and Maintenance

    When it comes to the care and maintenance of a solar panel heating system, there is going to be very little to none that you are going to have to be concerned with. In fact, other than a change of anti-freeze every couple of years, there is pretty much nothing else that you are going to have to be concerned with.

    It is straightforward to understand why installing a solar panel heating system in your house is going to be such a good idea and why it is something you should definitely be thinking seriously about.

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  • Wind Power Electricity-Does It Work?

    Posted on December 27th, 2009 Daniel Faust No comments

    Let’s be honest with each other for a quick second. This economy is going through a very hard time. There is no way of escaping it so we need to make sure we are doing everything we can do to save a little money. A very quick and easy way to save yourself some cash is to lower to cost of your power bill. But can it actually be done? The most popular way these days seems to be through the use of wind power electricity. Below, we will be going over some of the best advantages and worst disadvantages when it comes to wind power.

    Advantages:

    1-A lot of people out there that are interested in saving money on electricity are also interested in going “green”. By using wind power, you can be certain that you will not pollute the air. In fact, the only time a wind turbine is responsible for polluting the air is when it is actually being created.

    2-If something happens if your area such as a natural disaster and the electricity goes out, everyone will have to go without electricity. Expect for you. If there is just a small amount of wind you will be able to produce electricity while everyone else is stuck without it.

    3-Another great advantage to using wind power electricity is the fact that you will be able to produce a lot of electricity for a lot of people as long as there is some kind of power grid around.

    4-Most of the alternative energy sources out there require the use of fuel to operate. Eventually this will become pricey. With the use of a wind turbine, you wont need any kind of fuel.

    Disadvantages

    1-I hate to be the one to say it, but if you have ever seen a wind turbine in someones yard, you know they are not the most attractive thing around. These can get even more ugly if you are going to make them tall which you will have to in the majority of cases.

    2-One of the biggest disadvantages is that they can be easily damaged in a thunder storm. If you live in an area where you have a lot of thunderstorms and lightning then it is highly recommended you think twice about getting one. On the official website of the national lightning safety institute lightning is the main reason for wind turbines being destroyed.

    3-Wind turbines have some sharp blades and can be very deadly for birds. If you live in an area where birds fly across often then you will probably wake up with a few dead birds every once in a while.

    4-The majority of wind turbines out there are very loud. If you want to pay a lot of money to get a turbine that is quiet then that is up to you, but most people can’t afford it. If you live in an area with a lot of neighbors be ready to hear some complaints.

    Like we stated above, Wind Power Electricity is a very popular way to generate electricity, but latest research has shown it is clearly not the best. Want to learn what the best and Least Expensive way is? Click Here