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An increasing number of people nowadays prefer to integrate solar energy into their lifestyle. However, there are a few matters to consider if you would like to set up a solar power system in your house.
Not just any solar power system will suffice. It needs to correspond to your energy requirements and the location of your property. Here are some tips to get you started:
First, check if your house location is conducive to solar energy. Your property area must be facing a southward direction - ideally, it should directly face south, but a somewhat southwest direction will also work. It requires receiving sunlight between 9AM and 3PM. Be sure to observe this area all year round, because sunlight direction shifts from season to season.
Remember, also, that you may mount solar panels on tall rods and trees, not just on your roof. Thus if an area of your property is shadowed during the prime part of the day, look up to check if it might be sunnier on a higher area.
Next, contact your utility company and determine your average monthly usage of kilowatt hours. Then you will be able to find out how many KW hours your solar power system needs to generate. (You could choose to have only one-half of your KW hours substituted by solar.)
Types of Home Solar Energy Systems
To specify what type of system you need, it’s crucial to know the its different types. Most homeowners prefer to be connected to the power grid, since a stand-alone system could get very complicated and costly. It is an alternative, however.
1. Photovoltaic solar panels
These are the types most people are familiar with when they think of solar power. These are flat instrument panels that are set on your roof. Commonly, photovoltaic systems can power appliances and lighting systems only, but not your heating and cooling.
The power generated is usually connected to a conventional power grid, and this is a viable choice for nearly all solar power users. If you are linked to the grid, you won’t need a battery stand- by for night and on other days when the sunlight is not abundant. The established power company therefore becomes your back-up support when you are linked to the grid.
2. Solar heating systems
There are active and passive solar heating systems available for homes. Passive solar heating utilizes conduction, radiation, or convection to distribute sun-generated heat throughout the house. Active solar heating gathers the sun’s heat in some form of air or water reservoir, which is then pumped throughout the home.
The solar panels are calculated in the active systems. The passive systems on the other hand do not convert the solar energy into electrical energy. These can meet your heating and cooling demands by using materials in the structure of your house allowing the air and water flow to be directly regulated by the sunlight.
Solar troughs, made of thin wafer photon absorbing material, can be lay out up during the construction of your house to supply you with perennial source of warmth during winter.