Use of Solar Energy Systems For Home And Business Purposes

Solar panel systems have become a good and increasingly attractive source of renewable energy for homes and offices. This is because of the three basic causes; specifically, the increasing costs of conventional energy, the falling costs of improved solar panels for homes as well as incentives offered by governments that make solar energy an attractive choice.

In America, more than 10,000 homes and businesses are powered solely by solar systems. In addition to that, several hundred thousand homes and businesses use solar panel systems for their energy requirements. That in turn translates to significant savings on energy bills. Respectively, the use of non-renewable resources (fossil fuels, etc.) is reduced, resulting in less environmental impact.

The cost of installation for a typical home can run from $18,000 to $20,000 if done by a professional installation company. These high costs prevent people from using solar panel systems. But one can save on installation by getting tax credits and state rebates. Moreover, if you do it yourself, the cost would only be about 30 % before tax credits and rebates.

You do have a couple of choices: a stand-alone unit which needs a battery or a grid-intertied unit.

A good improvement to your house would be to convert to grid-intertied solar energy system. Planning ahead is the key to successful conversion.

First, calculate the amount of energy you need based on historical consumption. You ought to choose the right size of your solar energy system. An oversize unit will generate more energy which you could send to the grid, but you can only get credit for it and not cash.

Then, understand if your house is suitable for a solar energy unit. The factors to be accounted for are: available space on the roof, house location and climate. A good estimate of roof space is 80 to 100 sq. ft. per kilowatt. Your house ought to be oriented towards south for the system to be efficient, and should be free of objects that may get in the way of sun rays.

Though you can install the solar units on poles, solar panel systems are usually mounted on roofs. Using stainless steel bolts, the mounts are attached to roof rafters. The panels are then attached to the supports.

Solar panel kits are readily available in the market. There are suppliers that sell their wares on the Internet, but it is not recommended to purchase the kits from them unless you have prior experience with installing them.

Standard set of hardware you need for a stand-alone system without a battery that is tied to the grid includes: solar panel units, utility-interactive inverter, kilowatt-hr meter, supports to be installed on the roof, a couple of heavy duty safety switches, wirings and cable conduits. A DIY installation for a 1-kW system would cost you a little over $3,000.

If you don’t have previous experience in this area, you ought to select a respectable supplier who is known for outstanding service. It is sensible to purchase DIY kits with an installation manual that at least has a good number of illustrations. The supplier should preferably have contact telephone number, and better yet, could send a representative in case you run into a problem with installation. Alternatively if you are lucky enough to have a friend who is experienced in installing home solar panel systems, then ask him to lend a hand in the buying of the hardware as well as in the installation.

Many people have proven that solar energy can save you money and the environment. With availability of improved, affordable solar panels for homes and businesses, solar energy is the best option for most of us, so start that home improvement project: install a solar panel system for the home.