Passive solar energy is the sun’s energy accepted without resistance…or assistance. Passive solar energy requires no moving parts. Although fans are sometimes used in passive solar homes for even distribution of the air, they’re not required. Nor are pumps, mechanical or other electrical elements including in the design. Even the fans that are sometimes used in passive solar homes are generally solar powered.

No photovoltaics (PV’s) are part of the passive solar energy design. Instead, walls windows and floors are used to collect solar energy during the winter, and to make sure it’s evenly dispersed. The design elements generally include large south-facing windows for solar energy collection when the sun hits them. As the sun is collected, it’s then distributed and stored in some type of thermal mass…usually the concrete, tile, stone or brick in the walls and floors…or sometimes it’s stored in water. When the sun goes down, or it clouds over and gets cool, heat that’s been stored in the thermal mass will dissipate into the building, maintaining the same even temperature. Roof overhangs and awnings are used in passive solar design to reject heat from coming into a building during the summer.

The Greeks and Romans really brought us the elements of the first passive solar energy designs when they did the first calculations on how to take advantage of the sun’s energy.

Taking advantage of passive solar energy makes even more sense now than it did then. The Greeks and the Romans burned wood to heat their homes. Wood in many areas where they lived was often in short supply, so the passive solar design was a solution to supplement or bypass for the need for wood. Similarly, today, passive solar design can help us eliminate or supplement the need for any non-renewable energy source.

Passive solar heating doesn’t emit greenhouse gases. It’s completely renewable and extremely clean. Created to maintain an even temperature throughout the building, passive solar heating designs are perceived by homeowners as cleaner and more comfortable than other heating and cooling methods.

Passive solar hot water heaters are another way most passive solar home owners further decrease their energy bill, and their reliance on non-renewable resources. There are three basic types of passive solar water heaters: flat-plate, batch heaters, and evacuated tube heaters. Of these, batch heaters are the most prevalent and popular. Perhaps that is because batch heaters are fairly easy projects for the do-it-yourselfer. If you want to build your own, you’ll need to find an electric hot water tank…generally you can purchase either a salvaged one or find one that’s been disposed of in the dump. It will need to be thoroughly cleaned and sealed, and then painted black. Then, add new fittings and pipes to make sure you won’t have leaks later on. Construct a well-insulated plywood box, drill holes for the pipes to fit through, add aluminum foil or other metal for a reflectant, and place the tank inside, fitting the pipes through the holes. Cover the front of the box with glass or plexiglass, seal it, add water, and you’re ready go to. You may want a more detailed explanation, and there are a variety of plans available, but those are the basics.

You can also use a batch, or what is sometimes also referred to as a breadbox heater, with a staged design system. Using more than one encased heater, you can place them in different areas around your home. This allows you to take advantage of the sun’s various angles to obtain the most heat from the sun’s hottest rays. Other passive hot water systems, including flat plate and evacuated tube are also used in solar passive homes. However, they aren’t always as effective, and their designs are more compatible with professional installation.

There you have it…numerous benefits of going solar. But in case you’re not quite convinced, here’s a few more. There’s no global warming with solar energy. You won’t see headlines in the news about the sun spilling into the ocean, creating miles of oil slick, killing wildlife, destroying businesses and the tourist trade…or damaging our fragile environmental ecosystem. Solar energy doesn’t create acid rain, nor does it create smog.

There are many “pros” to solar energy, as we are increasingly discovering…or should I say re-discovering?

Learn more about solar passive homes. Stop by Timothy Peters’s site where you can find out all about home solar power and what it can do for you.

With years came the destruction of many valuable resources. Today the world is faced with the biggest problem; lack of resources to carry out even the most mundane duties of a persons day to day life. This shortage of fuel, water and other important resources has raised issues in many countries. Today, the usage of alternative energy sources has become important than never before.

A hundred long years ago, oil was an inexpensive resource that many people used without any hassle. Today this is a natural resource that is highly depleting. Countries that supply the resource charge high prices making it difficult for most governments to cope up with the hikes.

The first time the need for alternative energy sources came up in the United States in the 1970’s. An oil shortage in those years resulted in individuals staying at long queues in gas filling stations. It is not only vehicles that had this problem. Households suffered with a shortage of gas and other energy resources that were used in their day-to-day lives. This became a critical issue and experts started to find alternative energy sources to solve this issue.

Up to date, many experts have made several advancements in their search for alternative energy sources, but the fact remains that the prices of resources we use today are higher than never before.

The usage of wind, water and sun are the main components in the number of alternative energy sources found in the present day. It has been experimented and proved that geothermal power; hydropower or even solar power can be utilized in the production of electricity.

There may be several alternative energy sources that can be put to use, but not everyone can experience the same thing from different geographical locations. Simply stated, a person living in an area with fewer winds would not be able to experience the electricity generated by using the wind.

The same goes for individuals living in areas with less exposure to the sun. Solar power cannot be used in such locations. This proves that not every geographic location can be utilized for the generation of electricity.

Are you interested in further info on home solar energy system? You can find plenty of great tips about solar power for your home here: http://solarpowerhomeenergy.com

Former CIA Director James Woolsey says it so well and so succinctly, I doubt much more needs to be added: “A plug-in hybrid is an electric car with an insurance policy – a gas engine.” Relying primarily on electrical power, a hybrid has a gas engine back-up. That back-up is activated when the car’s solar battery is depleted, or under certain other pre-specified conditions.

You’ll find two basic types of hybrids on the market today, the PHEV or plug-in hybrid, and the basic hybrid. Both have gas engine back-ups. So their primary distinction comes from the two different types of batteries used. The PHEV has a solar rechargeable battery with about 10 times the capacity of the standard hybrid. The standard hybrid has a smaller battery, and it recharges in conjunction with an electric motor and the gas engine when the vehicle is in operation. The battery for the PHEV can be plugged into any electrical outlet…regardless of whether the power is solar, or conventional.

Soon, the advances in battery capacity will allow individuals, families and commercial drivers of large vehicles, to make the jump to full solar powered cars with zero emissions. Solar panels on roofs are going up in conjunction with the need for recharging solar cars, and many homeowners are then adding the rest of the system to power their homes. However, hybrids, with their combination electric and gas engines are still providing the long-distance solution for vehicles that need to do more than make the quick commute back and forth to the grocery store or work before recharging.

If each of us were to closely examine the environmental damage done by fossil fuel usage, and add it to how much it costs us to drive our vehicles every day, we would all have either solar powered, or solar powered hybrids parked in our garages and driveways when we arrived home every day.

Without the adverse impact of entrenched politics and economic interests, solar power for vehicles and other energy needs, would be in an entirely different place than it is today.

The best option at the moment for longer distance driving is either the PHEV or hybrid vehicle. Like having two vehicles in one, you have the electric car that runs clean and efficiently, without pollution, and the gas engine, which while it does produce greenhouse gases when operating, also provides a back-up and additional power to make sure you get where you’re going.

The Kelley Book, a widely used reference for establishing vehicle value lists the following hybrid models as available in the United States for 2010 and 2011:

- Toyota Prius
- Honda Insight
- Toyota Camry
- Ford Fusion
- Honda Civic
- Toyota Highlander
- Ford Escape
- Lexus, various hybrid models: RX & GS 450h, HS 250h, LS 600h
- Nissan Altima
- Mercedes-Benz S-Class & ML-Class
- Cadillac Escalade
- Chevrolet Tahoe
- Mercury Mariner & Milan
- BMW X6
- Chevrolet Malibu
- GMC Yukon
- Saturn VUE and Aura
- Chevrolet Silverado (pick-up) 1500
- GMC Sierra (pick-up) 1500 Crew Cab

The Kelley Book lists, in reverse order, the following “top green cars for 2010:”

* 2010 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid
* 2010 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
* 2010 Ford Escape Hybrid
* 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid
* 2010 Honda Insight (hybrid)
* 2010 Toyota Prius (hybrid)

Change comes slowly for all of us. With political pressure by industry lobbyists slowing progress in this arena, it’s going to be up to us to not only embrace the move to solar energy, particularly for our vehicles, but to pressure our political representatives to provide the right kinds of incentives that will quickly bring solar energy to parity… and then allow it to quickly eclipse and collapse our dependence…on fossil fuels.

An important step can be made with the purchase of a hybrid or solar powered vehicle. Particularly with the dual option of plugging into the grid…that utility company electrical outlet…or plugging in off the grid…the electricity generated by your own solar panels, you’re making a highly responsible, cost effective way of reducing our carbon footprint.

Looking to find out all you can about solar power cars then visit www.HomeSolarPowerExplained.com to find the best advice on home solar power for you.

For years the human race has been living their lives not really caring about using up the resources in the world. However, not I believe it’s caught up with us and we can now for the first time see the dangers. People are now turning to alternative power sources as their primary power source.

Solar residential energy system is gaining popularity all over the world as people seek affordable, reliable and renewable energy for home use.

Solar residential power was initially used only by people who where away from the main power lines.

However, these days, they have gained such popularity, trust and acceptance due to its low costs and environment friendliness.

Many homes utilize solar power for lighting, cooking, heating, cooling, powering electric and electronic equipments and providing hot water for pools and other home uses.

An initial investment is required in order to tap the solar power just like any other power source.

However, the solar power will give you a great return on investments in a short period of time compared to non-renewable energy which will keep demanding higher and frequent bills.

Solar residential power can run a home setting exclusively during a moderately hot season, that is, without resorting to other power options.

During the extreme heat season, the power supply from the solar energy system will be abundant. However, a secondary power source may be necessary during the extreme cold seasons.

The secondary power source can be generators, main power grid or other alternatives like wood and wind.

Note that even homes that utilize solar to provide forty to seventy percent of their power needs save lots of money on power over a very short time.

What many people are quick to ask is how much the initial solar residential power installation costs.

This depends on a number of factors including the size of the house, the number of occupants in a household, the number or electric and electronic devices that require electric power and their power ratings.

An ordinary household that relies on such power for lighting, running a number of electronic devices, heating, cooling, cooking and heating water may invest about $2, 000 in the power system.

Smaller households with lesser demands for power may need about $1, 000 to have sufficient power installed.

Once you choose to install a solar residential power system in your house, new wiring will not be necessary.

The power system may be installed on your current wiring setup. All you need to do is get a qualified and licensed technician to do the wiring.

For safety however, it is a good idea to have a supplier of the solar equipment install them.

The solar system will always have a warranty on them; you don’t have to worry on the quality of the devices, their performance and what to do in case of failure.

How complex or simple a solar residential power system can be depends on the equipments in use, the purpose of the system and the amount of power it produces.

They range from simple do-it-yourself systems to complex digital hi- tech digital systems.

Let us save the earth’s dwindling resources and stop environmental pollution by switching to solar power. You will not only save money but also reduce global warming and save the world we live in.

Visit our renewable energy studies blog.

Solar power has had excruciatingly slow in the United States. The price of solar energy components is generally sited as the primary reason. That may be valid…until you consider rising fossil fuel costs, what it costs not to adopt solar energy, and how mass production can bring down price.

According to statistics from the Nature Conservancy, the average American household emits about 54, 000 pounds of carbon dioxide or equivalent per person. This compares to the worldwide average per person emission of 5.5 tons, or 11,000 pounds. So where does that put the average American? That calculates out to about 5 times more greenhouse gas contribution than anyone else in the world. So, if you’re an American, how do you feel about not adopting solar energy? And where would you rather be…in the top fifth… or the bottom fifth?

Now, what about solar power costs? Developing countries have been much quicker to adopt solar energy because they could never afford conventional energy systems. Too many rural areas and isolated homes would be on a waiting list…forever…if they wanted traditional on-the-grid electricity from a fossil fuel power plant. Compare that to a $200 solar collector placed on a roof that lets someone who’s never have a hot shower before have that experience, and then know that once that collector had been paid for, every shower is free. What would you choose?

Hard hit by rapidly escalating fuel costs and an unstable supply source, Europe and surrounding countries have moved much more rapidly to adopt solar power. With the rise of fossil fuel costs, the number of rooftop solar systems for hot water heaters has risen exponentially.

China has a major initiative in the manufacture and installation of solar water heaters. According to a March 2010 article you can find at http://www.grist.org, there are currently about 27 million solar water heaters installed there.

Plodding slowly along behind, the United States has espoused certain standards, and created initiatives designed to move the country toward more renewable energy usage. However, as a major fossil fuel consumer, enough economic leverage has been generated to keep imported energy costs relatively affordable, and therefore created for consumers a false sense of security. With rapidly depleting fossil fuel availability, and world economic instability, however, this may all change rapidly.

It’s not all bad news, however. If, in fact, with all of the world initiatives on stabilizing global warming by using renewable energies, we were to achieve the stated goals by 2020, we could have an equivalent reduction of 690 coal-fired power plants. That is to say, by using renewable energies instead of fossil fuels, we could slash our net carbon emissions by 80%.

Do you agree… a pretty impressive objective? Definitely worthwhile? And that’s not the whole story. Moving forward rapidly to adopt solar power means we can also affect significant savings as mass production and distribution make solar energy a very affordable option.

Given the relative affordability of fossil fuel energy, only the most environmentally-conscious, and/or affluent families and individuals in the United States have seriously considered solar energy for a complete power system for their homes. Few, in fact, have considered it even for solar water heaters, although in the United States, as in Europe, more and more rooftop solar panels have begun to appear. The primary focus for solar water heating in the United States has been focused around solar heaters for swimming pools. While this is, indeed, a step in the right direction, only more and more conscious choice by the American public to “go solar” in every way possible will result in the economies of scale that are necessary to take subsidies out of the equation and put it at parity…or below…with all other power options.

For the moment, however, state and federal subsidies, through tax incentives, rebates, and net-metering are providing the impetus needed to move the United States forward to a more robust and wholehearted solar energy adoption. Hawaii, California and Florida have been successfully leading the initiative, adding their own incentives to the federal tax credits introduced in 2006.

There’s no question…in the United States particularly…solar power adoption has been slow. There’s simply been too much resistance. Cost, availability, usability and reliability have been combined with political and industrial pressure. All of these factors together have slowed the adoption of solar energy as a power source competitor to fossil fuel energy…a competitor that is known, and while it may not be loved, is trusted.

At the present, however, all factors seem to be coalescing to bring solar to the front door of the orphanage…presenting itself as the “right one” for adoption by many, if not all.

There is every indication that history will show…now is the time for solar power adoption.

Looking to find out all you can about solar energy history then visit www.HomeSolarPowerExplained.com to find the best advice on home solar power for you.

Creating an intense demand for energy, the third world is waiting to be filled with the light of solar energy resources.

Many third world homes are without power. Living in areas where solar energy abounds, rural residents often live in small, one-room homes. To fulfill their minimal energy needs, those that go beyond the basics of living with kerosene lamps for heat and light use batteries, generally car batteries, that they take to the nearest villages to have recharged as often as possible. Not only is this inconvenient, it’s expensive. Since it’s an expense that is not an absolute necessity, a resident may well go without this additional resource as well. For children attempting to study at night, without light, it’s harmful to the eyes, as well as scholastic endeavors. Many energy-impoverishments occur in areas where there is no power generation.

A conventional energy supply grid just costs too much for the government or a local entity to install, especially in remote areas. Solar energy, however, both at individual sites and in larger arrays for communities in rural areas can provide a real opportunity for both “on-the-grid” and “off-the-grid” living. It’s not only a viable solution; it’s something that makes good sense.

There are a number of United States charities, including the Oprah Winfrey Foundation, that are contributing heavily to worldwide efforts to bring clean, renewable energy to third world residents. The focus is bringing solar energy that will be used for access to water, as well as light and heat.

SELF (Solar Energy Light Fund) is a very involved partner in this Endeavour. It’s a daunting mission…stated as their intent to “provide solar power and wireless communications to a quarter of the world’s population living in energy poverty.” They have, however, been incredibly successful to this point, bringing solar power in western China to 1,000 households in fourteen different villages. They’ve worked extensively with local governments and agencies to build a self-funded program for the construction and distribution of small-scale photovoltaic systems. Scattered Masai herder tribes have benefited from the acquisition of solar-powered telephones in Tanzania. SELF has worked with local residents to install photovoltaic systems in schools and clinics in many third world countries. Currently, they are making a major contribution to a project in Haiti to get solar-powered medical clinics up and running across the country.

To provide fuel and shelter, many third world residents strip the available trees. In doing so, they’re minimizing what foliage is available for shade and shelter not only for themselves, but for the animals. For fuel, they often burn animal dung that would otherwise be used as a fertilizer. They achieve enormous benefit by trading these sources of energy for a few solar panels. Not only can they have power for radios or small televisions, they can use one or two PV panels installed to maximize capture of the sun’s energy and connected to a battery pack to provide year around heat and lights in many locations in the third world.

In addition, in many areas where water had not been available, or required residents to make a daily walk to the nearest village for water, solar energy now powers pumps that bring the water to their homes or a more central location, as well as provide power for irrigation systems that allow them to grow more crops, and create a more sustainable lifestyle.

Solar stoves, solar water heaters, solar panels to produce enough electricity for lights, computers, radio and television, along with power for irrigation systems can make the difference between living in poverty, and living in abundance in a third world country.

Helping others helps you…it helps me. As we provide support for individuals and communities to build an infrastructure to support solar energy use, we build a better world for all of us to live in.

More reliance on renewable energy, including solar and less reliance on fossil fuel energy, brings us greater benefit and greater freedom. With renewable energy we can create a certain amount of freedom from poverty, tyranny and self-destruction. Not just a benefit for third world countries, but a benefit for us all as we face creating our own extinction from pollution and global warming.

Want to find out more about solar power information, then visit Timothy Peters’s site at: www.HomeSolarPowerExplained.com

Sugar and spice and everything nice…or snakes and snails and puppy dog tails? Or would today’s young people say that solar energy panels are made of Beiber boys and grown-up toys?

Justin Beiber is the sunshine of many young hearts, and when he shines on stage, the crowd energy is electrifying. Unfortunately, we don’t currently know how to capture this type of energy to use it to power our homes and businesses. So for now, we’re looking at solar energy panels, created by converting sunlight’s energy into electricity to run our homes and businesses.

You’re wondering, I know, seriously…what are solar energy panels made of? Interestingly, they’re made of connected impure silicon crystals that are captured and used in solar cells. Impure silicon crystals are used because pure silicon isn’t active electrically. The impurities are what create the tendency to either attract…or lose…electrons. Sunlight, along with all other light, contains energy. Sunlight hitting the impure silicon crystals creates an electrical current as the electrons get up and move. Freed by light absorption, electrons bounce, and then they’re forced to flow in a certain direction so they create electrical current. Then, metal contacts are placed at the top and bottom of the silicon crystal PV (photovoltaic) cell, and power is extracted. Photo…meaning light, and voltaic…meaning electricity, is where the term PV comes from. Most people have…or know someone who has…a calculator that’s powered by a PV cell. Calculators and many small devices, including landscaping lights, are most often solar powered by PV cells.

Grouped together, a series of PV cells are electronically connected and placed into a frame, and called a panel. A solar array is comprised of a group of panels connected together.

It takes a lot of solar energy panels to power the average American home. In an effort to reduce the number of panels necessary to produce sufficient energy to operate a home, or charge a battery for an automobile or generator, materials other than silicon are being experimented with, and some success is being achieved in thin film solar technology, which uses smaller cheaper crystals, like copper-indium-gallium-selenide, that are shaped into flexible films. They’re not currently as effective, however, as silicon in creating electricity.

And so…the search for newer and better methods of creating solar energy cells goes on.

Littered with fossil fuel competition, the path to the beginning of solar energy cells is long. Mankind has, however, for hundreds of years, wanted to take advantage of the sun’s energy. And, slowly but surely, we continue to make progress in our attempt to harness with renewable resource.

Both the Romans and the Greeks found that by covering their south-facing window openings with glass or mica, they could capture and hold in the heat in the winter. Using the sun’s energy passively, they discovered the most optimal advantage.

A man named Auguste Mouchout, who thought Europe would run out of coal one day, invented the first sun-powered steam engine, even though it wasn’t done passively. Another man, William Gyrllis Adams, found that by shining light on selenium, the material shed electrons, and that this process created electricity.

The cost of capturing and converting the sun’s energy into electricity made it too expensive for any real development to occur until sometime later. Research by Albert Einstein, combined with work done in 1953 by Bell Laboratories, renewed non-passive solar innovation, which resulted in the creation of electricity from solar photovoltaic (PV) cells.

Still, it was considered cost-prohibitive. Although there was significant success through the work of scientists Daryl Chapin and Calvin Fuller in creating measurable electrical current with PV cells, progress in solar energy cell research and development went nowhere for a long period.

Laying in stagnation until 1973 and the Arab Oil Embargo, the Western world’s reliance on oil was suddenly thrust forward. In an attempt to find alternative energy sources to offset reliance on fossil fuels, the U. S. government began subsidizing research and development. Then, Japan rushed into PV energy in solar rooftops in the 1990’s, which created economies of scale for mass production, resulting in the beginning of price drops for PV energy cells.

The fact is that even today, however, solar energy panels remain more expensive than convention energy sources in most locations, and are, in some areas, not nearly as effective. What continues to challenge most normal households is not only the cost of the individual PV panels, but the number of panels it takes to generate sufficient electricity to run a home.

However, in third world countries, especially rural areas, there are many locations where sunlight abounds, homes are small, and solar panels are extremely cost-effective, not only to the individuals using them, but for the environmental footprint not left behind.

Want to find out more about solar energy panels, then visit Timothy Peters’s site at: www.HomeSolarPowerExplained.com

The world we live in makes living difficult each day as prices of goods go up and all other expenses rising to the maximum level. Having just one way of earning money is simply not enough unless you have a diversified portfolio. This means that if one method fails it will not matter, as there are other methods that can be used. One way of doing this is to have alternative energy stocks. This might actually solve the problem of having expenses that exceed the income.

Alternative energy stocks is an area that many people today consider as a means to getting higher returns on their invested money. For some this may sound like a risky business with uncertainties of getting a positive return. Nevertheless this is the newest trend with most companies that are yearning for a good profit.

Predictions made over the years say that by the year 2013, the market for alternative energy stocks could rise up to around 13$ dollars. If your company was one of the lucky few that invested on alternative energy stocks that the whole world agreed upon, the likelihood of ending up as a millionaire is very high. The right choice will determine the future of you and your company

We all know how the United States and other countries depend on foreign oil that is purchased at sky rocketing prices. The research for alternative energy stocks has resulted in companies offering help to eliminate the problems of these depleting resources.

Although the market for alternative energy stocks will look positive, it is advisable that you get the assistance of a financial advisor who has been studying these stocks closely. The market is full of uncertainties and the alternative energy stocks you choose might not be what the world chooses. Therefore, instead of heading for losses, it is beneficial to study the market, get help from a financial advisor and then move on to invest in alternative energy stocks.

Are you interested in advice on puget sound energy? You will get plenty more helpful details on green living having an eco-friendly lifestyle and alternative energy for your home here: http://livinggreenlifestyleideas.com

After receiving bids on your new home, or the remodel project, are you thinking solar energy is just too expensive? Have you decided you’re just not going to be able to afford it?

Are you ready to reconsider? Here’s some information you may not have had. To help defray the costs of that new solar power installation, there are a bunch of new government incentives. According to the U. S. Department of Energy, the following Consumer Energy Tax Incentives are currently available:

“RESIDENTIAL RENEWABLE ENERGY TAX CREDITS

Consumers who install solar energy systems (including solar water heating and solar electric systems), small wind systems, geothermal heat pumps, and residential fuel cell and microturbine systems can receive a 30% tax credit for systems placed in service before December 31, 2016; the previous tax credit cap no longer applies.”

While a tax credit won’t pay for the solar power installation for your home, it will certainly help offset the initial expense. A tax credit generally provides significantly more tax relief than a deduction, and can be used to offset your income even if you choose not to itemize.

Plus, you may also get relief from a state income tax deduction, plus rebates that are offered by some states to help offset the purchase and installation cost. With all these incentives, you should be able to significantly reduce the gap between installation of a traditional coal, gas, or utility-provided electrical system, and the installation of a solar power system for your home.

Are you a DIY (do-it-yourselfer)? If you are, or you can follow instructions on putting things together, there’s undoubtedly big savings to be had by installation of your own solar power, or by designing and building a passive solar system for your home. Or you may want to construct your own solar panels, whether you put them into a large array and build an off-the-grid system, or use them for smaller projects. You may want to build them and use them for things like landscaping, battery recharging, hot water heaters, or other smaller energy needs.

Check out the numerous books that are available on designing a passive solar system, and whether you need an architect or not. If you want to get some ideas, go to amazon.com, where you’ll find the following good book ideas…The Solar House: Passive Heating and Cooling by Daniel D Chiras, and Green From the Ground Up: Sustainable, Healthy and Energy-Efficient Home Construction (Builder’s Guide), by Scott Gibson and David Johnston. This book contains a large segment about passive solar design.

If you’re ready to make a commitment of time and energy, you can be rewarded intrinsically and with a real costs savings, whether you build solar panels for a full home solar energy system, or for small projects. Some great books to guide you, if you decide to do it yourself, include Solar Power Your Home for Dummies, written by Rik DeGunther, and The Complete Idiots Guide to Solar Power for your home by David Hughes and Dan Ramsey.

The next thing, of course, is to look at how large your solar energy system really needs to be. Do you use a lot of power now? Could it be reduced? It’s good to look at this aspect before you determine how large a solar energy system you need. What are your family’s energy habits? Do appliances and power strips that draw energy when not in use get unplugged? Do lights get turned out when everyone leaves a room? What about your HVAC system…any leaking ducts or filters blocked? Have you check your door seals? And are you using compact fluorescent (CFL) lights in all of your light fixtures? CFL’s consume less wattage. They also emit less heat because they burn cooler. By becoming energy efficient now, you can reduce your consumption estimate, and plan a smaller solar power system, which will cost you less.

On a more global level, there are two alternative methods to reduce the cost of solar power. By either taxing coal, gas and oil, (which seems the better alternative at present) or providing greater government (taxpayer) subsidies for renewable energy, the economic incentives that lead to economies of scale would drive the cost of solar energy down significantly.

It’s possible, however, that in the near future neither option will be required. Many businesses and homeowners are beginning to see the sense (and the cents) in using solar energy, as fossil fuel energy costs are escalating. As demand for solar energy systems goes up, mass production of component pieces will drive prices down. Solar power, already beginning to close the component cost differential difference, will soon reach parity with conventional power…with or without the government.

Want to find out more about solar power costs, then visit Timothy Peters’s site at: www.HomeSolarPowerExplained.com

Finding the right generator depends a lot on what you are looking for in generators for home use as for some people it simply means a backup source of power for lights and a few other things such as cooking, etc.

A small portable generator will do just fine for a few small appliances and lights.

For others it means a generator big enough to power their entire home.

So how do we choose what size generator to get?

If you plan to run your whole house, then you will want to either purchase a bigger unit or perhaps look into building a solar or wind generator according to what you need.

As a child growing up we did not have alectricity but we used a small generator to run things like washers, lights and small appliances and it worked just fine.

Be careful, however, what size generator you plug something bigger like a vacuum cleaner into!

Believe me, I have BLOWN vacuum cleaners by plugging them into too small of an energy source!

For the bigger appliances or for operating shop tools, etc, we had a noisy diesel generator out in a building that could power anything you could ever dream of putting into your home!

Build Your Own Generator for Home Use

You can find some really great guides on building your own solar and wind system that will power your home,too.

Building your own generator with either solar or wind is by far the best option as far as long term re-usable energy.

Propane is another source of energy that will power many of your appliances and even your generator for home power.

Propane won’t evaporate as quickly as regular gas. So you can store enough to last for several years if you want to.

The Amish have lived off the grid for centuries and while they do use wind energy for power, one of their main sources for energy has always been propane.

You can power everything from heating to lights and dryers, stoves and fridges with propane.

Small portable back-up generators.

If you are simply looking for a simple backup generator for home use sort of thing, than a 1500 or 8000 watt is all you need.

Just don’t forget that you will need to store fuel for it. Propane and diesel stores better than regular gas so keep that in mind when looking for a generator.

While the main concern should be to prepare for your family in means such as having enough food on hand, safe water, etc… having a means to live in basic comfort with at least small generator for home use is enough to make anyone feel better!

Before buying a generator for home use, you will want to visit Viola Bontrager’s website to research more Emergency Energy Options .