Solar Energy - The Future of Generating Energy For The Home

Solar energy for home homes is nothing new.  It has just been banished to the background in lieu of increasing cost of property ; more recent more advanced building materials, design and the limitation of resources. 

Since man started building homes, daylight played a major influence in the design.  In fact, even in the more complicated urban planning technique of the Ancient Chinese and Greeks, the orientation of the buildings is as much as possible steered towards where it could capture the most daylight. 

The ancients would possibly not be as intellectually complex then to use catch phrases as passive solar and thermal mass but when they build, they were building in compact proportion, employing overhangs, manufacturing insulations and building in manners that direct the airflow within the structure and producing well lit, well ventilated spaces using the relative position of the sun to the orientation of their structures. 

Lately, as the conventional sources of energy became dearer, owners were once again turning to the sun for energy wants. 

Since the 1950’s, harnessing the sun’s rays has been developing and today the solar cell technology has achieved awfully efficient levels that modern ( supposed green house ) designs apply the sun’s power to provide energy for the home. 

While solar energy is free, the device which will convert it to run our appliances is not.  To provide solar energy for the home, solar cells called photovoltaic made from semi-conducting materials, are grouped into modules.  These solar panels are mounted on rooftops, yards or open spaces where it can capture the maximum quantity of daylight. 

Whenever possible, the panels will be installed facing south to get the most out of the daylight but tracking systems are also used to follow the direction of the sun.  The solar panels collect the energy from the daylight.  The method basically is that when the panels are exposed to sunlight, the electrons are separated form the atoms.  This movement of the electrons creates electricity. 

To store power, pumps are often used - circulating water in the cells.  The water goes into a storage tank where the power is stored, prepared to be used.  Occasionally, the employment of gravity is used if it will just the same store the heated water in to the tank. 

In spite of all the development in solar energy though, the employment of this technology isn’t really enough to provide power to the whole house.  The best method so far can only fulfill about eighty percent of a homes power needs.  Using solar energy for the home will still require the use of the conventional power distribution methodology. 

Powering the houses by solar means will still, for a bit be augmented by a local power distribution agency.  To several, this is a good start line.  Homeowners that feel that the high price of powering their houses through solar power, is justified when compared to the price that is now being paid for traditional electrification strategy where horrendous amounts of CO2 are being dumped into the atmosphere just to generate a pitiful amount of electricity. 

However, due in part to the rising costs of energy, the technology for solar energy has been undergoing rapid phases of development.  Gurus are confident that inside five years, powering the home through the solar system will be made widely available for those that prefer it as its sole energy source.


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