Solar Energy Homes Water Heating Systems
One of the joys of generating your own energy in solar energy homes is that you can have as extensive or as minimal a system as you think you’ll need. If you get plenty of sunshine where you live, it makes sense to use it to generate power for all or most of your needs. If you live in a less sunny part of the world, you are probably better off starting with a solar system that will provide you with hot water.
Solar energy water heating systems take free heat from the sun to warm domestic hot water. You can make the water hotter by using a conventional boiler or immersion heater, which also works when solar energy is not available.
The main benefits of solar energy homes water heating systems are:
- They work all year round, although water gets hotter in summer months than in winter.
- They will help slash your carbon footprint. Using free energy from the sun is far greener than buying conventional fossil fuel-generated electricity or gas.
- You will reduce your energy bills. You don’t get a bill for sunlight, so once the initial installation has been paid for, your hot water will cost you less.
How Do Solar Power Water Heating Systems Work?
Solar energy homes rigged up for hot water have solar panels (called collectors), fitted to their roofs. They gather heat from the sun and use it to heat up water which is stored in a hot water cylinder. You can use an immersion heather or boiler as a back up to heat the water further to reach whatever temperature you expect. Obviously, the more you use your conventional heater, the less green your solar energy home will be.
There are two types of solar water heating collectors (commonly known as solar panels):
- Evacuated tubes, which are flat plate collectors. They can be integrated into the roof like tiles or else fixed on your existing roof tiles.
- Larger solar panels can also be used to help heat your home as well. How effective they will be will depend on how sunny your area is. In northern Europe or northern Canada and Alaska you would need a very large expanse of panelling to get any worthwhile benefit. In southern Europe, and hotter places like Florida, California, New Mexico and so on, this is a definite option you should consider.
Maintaining solar water heating systems is generally very cheap. Most solar water heating systems sold in Europe and North America arrive with 5 or 10 year warranties and, anyway, require a small amount of maintenance. If you are looking to make your dwelling one of the solar energy homes, you should consider getting more information about solar water heating systems.
Solar Energy Homes Increase
As the technology improves, the demand for solar energy homes increases. The advantages of solar power are three-fold: price savings, environmental gains and non-reliance on outside agencies. Once the solar power equipment is installed, production of electricity is virtually free. It is also 100% green, and there’s the advantage of not having to rely on a power company, who can increase prices and determine supply as they feel fit. In over 80% of cases of power failure the cause is broken lines, something you are unlikely to experience with solar panels on your own roof.
Man has been always been incredibly creative in finding ways to harness the sun’s energy. This ingenuity began hundreds of years ago by reflecting its rays to make fire and continues today with solar energy homes technology. Most governments of the world count converting more solar power into electricity as a high priority in the journey to replace diminishing fossil fuel supplies.
In the USA, SEIA (the Solar Energy Industries Association), has reported that during the 3rd quarter of 2011, more solar was installed than during the whole of 2009. The cost of renewable energy sources, including wind power and solar energy, has dropped sharply and for the first time ever, we are now in a position where clean, greener energy can be generated at costs comparative to those for fossil fuels. The US Department of Energy says it is committed to increasing the number of solar energy homes.
In 2012, a federal government stimulus package that extended tax credits and created investment opportunities is due to end. A general anti-subsidy feeling in Washington makes renewal seem very unlikely. This is despite the industry saying that a one year extension would, in a single year, create almost 40,000 new jobs in the solar energy homes industry alone.
China Set To Dominate The Solar Energy Homes Market
As western governments cut investment in green energy as part of cost-cutting drives, countries in other parts of the world take the advantage. China is fast emerging as the dominant player in the solar power market. They are already responsible for over half the world’s production of green energy goods and their share is rising. China’s big three solar energy companies – Trina Solar, Suntech Power and Energy, and Yingli Green Power – are reporting dramatic increases in sales and it is predicted that Chinese companies will have a 75% share of the world market within five years.
Although your government may be missing its chance to compete in the rapidly expanding green energy market, that’s no reason you shouldn’t make your move. There is no doubt that solar power is here to stay and there’s never been a better time than right now to sign up for your own solar energy home.
Solar Energy Homes Guide Introduction
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We are calling on the best experts in the renewable energy fields to write articles and we will be up and running just as soon as we can be. Please add a bookmark to this page and return to SolarEnergyHomesGuide dot-com regularly to find out all about Solar Energy and how it applies to your home.
Thanks!
Jim