Solar Power: Promise for The Future of Your Home

Many have heard of solar power, and it's legendary promise of replacing all of our energy needs in the future. Well, the hype is not far off of the truth. Solar power is simply the conversion of sunlight into electricity that can be used to power appliances. Solar power is generated in two different ways, CPS and PV.

CSP (Concentrated Solar Power) systems focus a large amount of sunlight into a small beam using mirrors and lenses. The concentrated light is then converted to heat which will then drive a type of heat engine (usually steam related) that is connected to a power generator.

In short, CPS turns concentrated sunlight into heat, which is then converted in electricity. CPS is an extremely fast growing source of energy. New advances in the technology have made the construction of CPS stations much cheaper and the technology has the potential to be competitive with fossil fuels within a few years.

Greenpeace International, the European Solar Thermal Electricity Association, and International Energy Agency's SolarPACES group released a study that predicts that concentrated solar power could account for 25% of the world's energy needs by 2050. Spain is currently the leader in solar power investment, but other countries will soon be scrambling to catch up, especially Mexico, the United States (which can boast one of the world's sunniest regions) and various countries in Africa but specifically Nigeria.

The second form of solar power generation is called photovoltaics and it converts solar radiation into direct current electricity using semiconductors. This is the type of solar power that comes to mind when most think of it. It uses solar panels that can be mounted on ground arrays or can be put on the sides of buildings or other surfaces that will be exposed to the sun. Photovoltaics is the third most important renewable energy source after hyrdo and wind as more than 100 countries currently use solar PV.

Because of the demand for renewable energy the price of solar cells has declined steadily since their first models. The reduced price means that PV is becoming competitive with conventional electricity sources in many geographic regions. Greenpeace Solar Generation predict that PV could produce 9% of the world's energy by 2030. By 2050, it can produce over 20% of the world's electricity. However, many agencies have continually underestimated the growth rate of renewables, so their estimates may be low for both PV and CPS technologies.

Most solar power arrays are plugged into the electric grid of inhabited areas. There is a much smaller market for independent solar generators that serve residences that are off the grid. Houses that are on the grid can contact their local energy providers in order to discover the costs of solar power, and can look into switching over if they wish to. More and more people are choosing that option as the demand for renewable energy grows. It is unarguable that solar power, and other forms of renewable energy, will play a larger and larger role in our energy supply schemes.

Solar Power In The Home

Solar power is the most renewable and reliable form of alternative energy, and its method of production is extremely simple. The most common form of solar power generator, a PV array that converts solar radiation into direct current electricity, only requires the installation of solar panels.

The switch to solar energy is likely to be one of the smoothest energy transitions in history. This is because solar power generators consist of solar panels that can be mounted on any surface that will see sunlight. Furthermore, the array can be wired to connect to the local energy grid, allowing homeowners to sell the energy they do not use back to the energy company. Since solar arrays only generate energy during the day, the home generally still draws power from the grid at night. However, daytime hours are peak hours, and a solar array helps save homeowners a significant amount of money without needing to make drastic changes to their home.

Small solar arrays are fairly easy to install and simple, step-by-step instructions can usually guide a homeowner through set-up. More complicated arrays that feed into the grid and wiring of the home require professional installation and can cost a homeowner approximately $25,000 in upfront costs. In order to encourage the switch to solar power, many national governments offer tax incentives. In the US, the federal government offers a tax credit of approximately $2,000, though it changes from year to year. Local state governments offer their own rebates that can cover up to 1/3rd of the cost of solar installation.

Lastly, it is calculated that a solar array will pay for itself in energy savings in approximately 10 years when current energy costs and common usage rates are taken into consideration. However, if the price of energy continues to go up, solar arrays will end up paying for themselves much sooner.

Solar power can also be used in more specific ways in the home. One of the largest drains on energy is a home's water heater, which maintains 40-50 gallons of hot water at all times. A small change to an on-demand water heater that only heats up water when it is requested, saves a home a lot of money. Further, small solar arrays can be installed in order to feed directly into water heaters, and can drastically reduces the price of monthly energy bills. Solar arrays can also be used to power ovens and refrigerators, two other major uses of household energy.

Homeowners can also choose to lease solar arrays from installers for little or no upfront cost, therefore reaping the monthly savings right away and using them to pay for the solar array. With so many incentives and opportunities to save, there is really no reason for a homeowner not to install solar power.