A Question About Solar Water Heating Is it a Good Way To Save Money on Electricity?

Recently I received another email question from a visitor inquiring about the best cost effective solution for solar power projects like solar ... efficiency. Otherwise, you'll go broke trying to put enough diy solar panels on a lossy house to keep ... heating. Many people these days are interested in learning and developing solar power for homes [more...]

Date: 2009-02-20 16:03:51

Blog posts (37) | Videos (319)
 

Brilliant and Bizarre Off-the-Grid Green Designs and Technologies

Going off-grid doesn’t have to mean giving up luxuries like hot tubs, blended drinks, flat-screen televisions or electric razors ... , homes, skyscrapers and even entire islands powered by solar, wind, wood and human movement, living ... sustainable. Light Cap 200 – Solar Panels for Water Bottles light-cap-200 (image via: SolLight [more...]

Date: 2009-02-24 19:06:30

World's Most Efficient Solar Water Heater

When we think about adding solar power to our homes, super-sexy photovoltaic panels get most of the attention ... packages, will likely create. And since these panels can reduce hot water electricity use by 70% even ... . But photovoltaics are extremely expensive while solar water heaters can save power at a much [more...]

Date: 2009-02-09 08:39:53

DIY Solar Power Kits - Why Go For Them?

by M B BeanHow would you feel if you could actually reduce your annual electricity bills to your home by 80%? ... this. As you will soon find out there are many different kinds of DIY Solar Power kits available ... sources we can use DIY Solar Power kits are proving very popular indeed. Not only is this a safe system [more...]

Date: 2009-01-30 00:55:54

Generating Power at Home

Electricity bills have been increasing for a long time but it has now got to the level where power is now a major element in the household budget ... tempting but how realistic is it? Can a DIY solar panel or DIY wind turbine really produce a real ... to produce electricity from a DIY solar panel. The same logic is true when thinking about a DIY [more...]

Date: 2008-11-08 06:11:16

Eco Architecture: Microsoft’s New American Home is high on sustainability and of course technology

microsoft-home1_nbd5j_69 Eco Factor: 100% solar powered home designed by Microsoft is loaded with technology ... and now they have shown how much they care about the environment by designing a 100% solar-powered house which naturally ... on solar panels that mean you don’t have to pay even a cent for electricity use. The team [more...]

Date: 2009-01-21 07:10:42

Arizona Man Uses Ebay Parts to Provide Solar Power

by John Horning Michael Davis, an astronomer from Arizona, has found an inexpensive way to produce electricity that can be used to power a home ... this or you will have to wire them together. You will likely need to do some soldering. 4. Construct The Solar Panel The solar panel is nothing more than a shallow box typically made out of wood. It [more...]

Date: 2009-03-09 14:54:56

MAKE Projects - Volume 14

In each volume of MAKE we have "major projects" these project pages are meaty step-by-step articles with start-to-finish photos, ... simulates Atari's classic music visualizer. Page 114 solar14.jpg Solar Power System Design by Parker Jardine. How to use solar panels to supplement your home or workshop electricity needs. Page [more...]

Date: 2008-10-07 13:54:07

6 new york utilities improve net metering policy

On Thursday, the NY State Public Service Commission made changes to the net-metering policies of six investor owned utility companies to encourage more homes and businesses to install solar panels or wind turbines to generate clean electricity ... to 25 KW from 10 KW for residential solar power systems. These changes allow more people [more...]

Date: 2009-02-14 07:06:07

Rise & Shine: January 15, 2009

The Rise & Shine is your daily source for all solar-industry news. Brought to you by Sweet Solar Home and the Experts at SunRun ... to Homeowners SunRun offers residential customers the means of accessing the benefits of clean solar ... an installation of solar panels designed to provide a portion of the electrical power required by MGM Tower [more...]

Date: 2009-01-15 16:41:28

Inlet Outlet Feeds Electricity Back To Your House

Nearly every room in our homes and offices has at least one electrical outlet from which we draw power for our gadgets and appliances ... that convert heat into energy. (Imagine a panel next to your oven or behind the refrigerator to capture ... power from the grid, but could also give some back? We already have solar and wind systems for homes [more...]

Date: 2009-03-10 17:12:31

Global Investing Roundups, Tuesday, November 25th, 2008

Existing Home Sales Down 3.1%; Chile’s 3Q GDP Beat Forecast; SunPower Finishes 18-Megawatt Plant; Cnooc Pushing to Develop More Oil Sites; ... Shares of Solar power manufacturer SunPower Corp. (SPWRA) jumped yesterday after the company announced it had completed an 18-megawatt solar electric power plant in Badajoz, Spain. The plant’ [more...]

Date: 2008-11-25 15:41:04

Go Solar Power For Homes Glossary of Terms - O to Q

O Ohm = The unit of resistance to the flow of an electric current. One-axis tracking = A system capable of rotating about one axis. Open-Circuit Voltage (VOC) = The largest voltage possible across a photovoltaic solar panel ... panel makes from North). P PV = Abbreviation for photovoltaic. (See below) Panel = A group [more...]

Date: 2009-02-22 06:00:59

Electric All-Terrain Vehicle Set to Hit Production Next Month

If there’s one thing Oregon’s good at, it’s home-grown solutions ... , solar panels and/or wind power, those savings are sure to be even higher.Additionally, given the fact ... , the Model One is not cheap. But, as Barefoot Motors points out, they expect the overall operational [more...]

Date: 2009-01-25 20:06:30

Electrical (and otherwise) outage

Last night, being the sometimes-good wifey that I am, I headed to the grocery store after work to find something for supper ... . 7:15 pm Me: BB, there’s no power. BB: Shit. Me: Yeah, no shit. BB: I’ll be home soon ... radios can run on, like, solar power or something. BB: Oh. Right. 10:27 pm Kristen: Mich 20 [more...]

Date: 2009-04-07 12:53:04

What type of Solar Energy...?

.fullpost{display:inline;}If you want to go full tilt and generate usable electricity from your home's rooftop—and even possibly contribute power back to the larger grid—tried and true photovoltaic arrays might be just the ticket. A typical installation involves the panels, which are constructed of many individual silicon-based photovoltaic [more...]

Date: 2008-09-15 07:56:00

Ironic Snowfall for Resource-Rich Greenies

Environmentalists characterize themselves as petite Davids battling gargantuan corporate Goliaths in order to grab media attention ... of his solar-powered truck with a metal sign that read, “Stop Global Warming Now”.  One of my colleagues ... of affordable coal-generated electricity today to heat their homes. One of my favorites images [more...]

Date: 2009-03-03 00:39:31

“The sun* generates enough energy on the museum rooftop to power about 30 homes.”

Wow. Is there no engineering advance that Obama can't sign into existence? ... statistical information regarding the now-famous solar array. Specifically, the Institute asked for:1 ) Two years worth of electric bills prior to the installation of the solar array, 2 ) All electric bills [more...]

Date: 2009-04-01 12:35:23

Logical Homes

Our designs incorporate recycled and repurposed industrial materials ... who want to integrate tied-to-the-grid electric solar power systems (Photovoltaic Panels) or wind [more...]

Date: 2009-04-04 14:07:42

ISS Now 2nd Brightest Object in Night Sky with Final Solar Arrays Deployed

Screen shot from NASA TV during the solar array deployment ... of usable electricity, enough to power about 42 854 260 square meter (2800-square-foot) homes ... in the night sky, following Friday's successful deploy of the S6 solar wings. Astronauts on board [more...]

Date: 2009-03-20 21:19:39

Another World on Lady Isle, just three miles from home!

Last Wednesday evening we found ourselves drifting round Lady Isle in the Firth of Clyde ... . It was refurbished in 2004 and converted to an electric light powered by batteries charged by solar panels [more...]

Date: 2009-04-06 18:36:00

Green Homes Save Green Cash For One Insurance Companies Plan

Donegal Insurance Group policies that take effect May 1 or after will offer a 5% discount on insurance for homes that use solar energy or a geothermal heat pump. Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Joel Ario says it makes sense from a risk-management standpoint since these sources will keep operating even when electric power goes [more...]

Date: 2009-03-21 07:09:23

Linux services without mains power (Tectonic)

Stevan Lockhart explains how he set up an off-grid Linux-powered home and business in Scotland. " Originally from Cape Town, Stevan Lockhart now lives in the north west of Scotland in a house that is off the electricity grid. Using a wind generator, some solar panels and free and open source [more...]

Date: 2009-03-12 17:55:19

Do It Yourself Solar Power - A Brilliant Home Energy Solution!

Solar electricity is a technology which has been around for at least twenty years, and has recently taken the lead as an alternative fuel source, ... needed to make your solar panel at home it is not nearly as challenging as the general public believe ... can then be utilized for running home appliances. It is far better to make your solar panel than [more...]

Date: 2009-04-03 23:16:41

Low-Cost Home Energy Solution By Using DIY Solar Power

Home made solar power is fast becoming a well-liked alternative that can help you cut your household bills and protect the environment ... , range, lightings etc . Make solar panel and slash your energy bills by 80% or more. Learn ... , an electrical stove, copper flashing sheet, for example. Each solar panel includes a chain [more...]

Date: 2009-04-04 19:04:57

Why You Should Install Solar Power Panels For Your Residence

Today there are an increasing number of people who are turning to alternative sources for energy ... with a solar panel which runs almost each facet of the home. It’s more efficient that traditional energy ... for electricity. One such alternative for electricity and power generation is solar power. It’s not only [more...]

Date: 2009-04-01 06:16:43

On cloudy or overcast days, when your panels aren’t making optimum electricity, you don’t have to lose sleep about your lights going dark

People have been using solar power in their homes for decades, ... : one that uses solar energy and then complements the surplus with usual electricity. On days that you’re actually overproducing solar electricity, your home becomes a mini-power plant, putting electricity back [more...]

Date: 2009-04-07 11:47:30

my solar power for homes system

A brief layout of my solar power for homes system that I installed about 2 weeks ago ... , charge, cheap, collapse, controller, diy, easy, economy, electricity, energy, FREE, Global, Green, grid, home, How, independent, inverter, meter, metric, off, oil, panel, panels, peak, power, Self-Reliant [more...]

Date: 2009-01-11 06:00:59

TEP Provides Solar Power, Energy Efficiency to “Extreme Makeover” Home

TUCSON, Ariz. - Tucson Electric Power (TEP) is donating photovoltaic panels and a solar water heating system to a house being built in Tucson by ... Guarantee Home that features a custom airflow design, tight insulation and other features that promote ... rebates of up to $3,000 per kW of installed DC-rated capacity to help reduce the up-front cost [more...]

Date: 2009-01-28 01:32:41

Solar Powered Community Center

In my home town, Sacramento, California I’ve seen more and more solar panels at various locations such as parking lots, ... will produce six times more power than the usual residential solar electric system. The forty units ... Martin uses solar panels is awesome because it is setting an example for the rest of the homeowners [more...]

Date: 2009-03-20 18:08:41

More states want solar power to be option on new homes

USA Today: A growing number of states are moving to require home builders to offer solar electricity and hot-water systems in new homes, ... program manager for Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter’s Energy … solar power homes | North America | United [more...]

Date: 2009-04-06 19:00:00

Three Steps To Create Your Own Power Source At Home

Have you ever heard of micro generation?This is the key to getting your own electric energy at home and avoiding high energy bills ... - wind power, solar power, both or none of the above. To do this you can choose the option always available, of DIY, or let other people do it for you. Usually the first option depending on a person [more...]

Date: 2009-04-02 14:03:37

Photovoltaic film molded to shingles, turns sunlight into electricity

It's an old idea: roof shingles that not only keep your home dry but capture solar power and convert it to electricity. But a Tucson, Ariz., solar firm and the world's largest chemical company are partners in a newer approach. Global Solar Energy of Tucson manufactures a thin, flexible photovoltaic film. read more [more...]

Date: 2009-03-13 18:55:00

Why Get DIY Solar Power Kits?

by M B Bean Would you like the opportunity to be able to save around 80% on your home electrical bills each year? ... your DIY Solar Power panel project is very easy and the internet is the best place to search ... in your home? Certainly there are a number different kinds of DIY Solar Power kits one can purchase [more...]

Date: 2009-01-18 10:01:25

Arizona Man Discovers Way To Slash Solar Power Costs

by John HorningMichael Davis, an astronomer from Arizona, has found an inexpensive way to produce electricity that can be used to power a home ... block has been the cost of solar panels which contain electricity-producing photovoltaic (PV) cells ... in Building Your Own Solar PanelsOnce you find a source for the PV cells, the rest is relatively [more...]

Date: 2009-03-26 15:26:41

Rise & Shine: November 4, 2008

The Rise & Shine is your daily source for all solar-industry news. Brought to you by Sweet Solar Home and the Experts at SunRun. CALIFORNIA NEWS Are Dirty Solar Panels a Big Problem? According to OCS Energy, a startup based ... in residential solar-electric power system installation. School Goes Solar Woodside Priory, a Catholic [more...]

Date: 2008-11-04 16:44:17

6 Reasons to Stay On the Electric Grid

Imagine using only the energy from the sun to power your home. You would never have to pay an electric bill again and or be impacted by power outages ... -the-grid solar systems must be sized for the worst case scenario, unless they use a backup generator ... .  It may sound great, but there are numerous advantages to having a solar home that is on-the-grid [more...]

Date: 2009-01-23 20:15:47

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