Solar Garden Lights Ease Energy Costs
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Solar Garden Lights Ease Energy Costs
The current trends of today’s economy and rising fuel costs make it difficult to have money to spend on the little pleasures in life. Gardening is a popular hobby for many people. Many homeowners take pride in their landscaping abilities and wish to show off their hard work and effort. This can be a difficult task with the current rise in electricity bills and energy costs. Alternative energy sources are a viable way to cut those costs. Using solar power may seem like a daunting task, but there are simple ways to use solar energy.
Homeowners and renters alike can benefit from do-it-yourself projects that harness solar energy and reduce electricity bills. One simple and inexpensive project is the installation of solar garden or yard lights. These types of lights can allow a garden to be stylishly illuminated while still saving on energy costs. They are a convenient and aesthetically pleasing addition to any garden or landscape.
Solar garden lights store and generate their own power during daylight hours and release that energy at night. A typical landscape light uses 12 volts of electricity and requires bulbs. Solar garden lights contain solar panels that harness the sunlight. This is especially convenient for homeowners and renters who do not have outdoor electrical outlets. These solar panels charge the interior LED (light-emitting diode) battery. A photoresistor activates the battery when it detects little or no light, causing the lamp to illuminate. LED batteries are inexpensive and have an average lifespan of two years. One LED solar light emits the same brightness as a 2 watt bulb. LED battery powered lights run for about 100,000 hours, while an incandescent bulb runs for only 3,000 hours on non-renewable energy. Solar garden lights on average remain lit for 10 hours per night.
Solar garden lights require the simplest installation of any solar lighting. They can be placed in any area of the yard that receives direct sunlight. Most solar garden lights are mounted on stakes that can easily be driven into the ground. These types of solar lights require no wires or underground digging. Some also have the option of being strung together so they can hang along eaves or awnings.
Solar garden lights are available in various styles, colors and shapes. They can be stylish additions to any garden. Solar garden lights can be used to illuminate a path or walkway. There are also floating solar lights that can be displayed in a pool or pond. Another convenient type of solar light is a solar deck light. These lights are small and can be placed along stairs, making decks safer for nighttime use. They are made from plastic and are weighted down to avoid being blown around by wind.
A growing trend among solar powered landscape lighting is rope lighting. This type of lighting involves a string of LED bulbs that are encased in clear plastic tubing. The tubing protects against weather and allows for flexibility. Solar rope lighting works much the same as solar garden lighting and does not require electricity. These lights also come in a variety of colors, and some models have twinkle or blink settings. Rope lighting can be used to trace a path or walkway or be mounted along a house or deck. It could also be used as outdoor decoration for holiday seasons.
Solar garden lights are sold at most major retailers and home improvement stores. They are the most energy efficient choice for outdoor lighting. Solar garden lights are affordable; pricing increases are usually due to style and color choice.
Renewable energy is both environmentally friendly and economically vital. Solar power is an important resource in the effort of homeowners and renters to lower electricity costs and use renewable energy sources. Solar energy allows people the luxury of small pleasures, like garden lighting, while being affordable and eco-friendly.
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Solar Panels – Pvs At Work
What is PV solar power? You have heard the term, but you are unsure as to its meaning. You are vaguely aware that solar power has something to do with making energy from sunlight. But what is PV solar power? Is it different from other kinds of solar power?
PV solar power is different from other types. Of the two main categories of solar power, active and passive, PV solar power is active. Let’s look at it.
Solar Panel
Active solar power relies on solar panels. You may picture them as flat, rectangular boxes on rooftops.
There are two main types of solar panel. From a distance, both look like rectangular boxes. Both convert sunlight into energy, but in two different ways. The terms for the two solar panel types are solar thermal collector and photovoltaic module.
1. Solar thermal collector: This solar panel takes in solar energy from the sun and uses it to heat air or water.
2. Photovoltaic module: This second type of solar panel collects solar energy and converts it to usable electricity.
Meet the PV
To answer the question, what is PV solar power, we must know what the PV is. The short answer is that PV refers to a photovoltaic module. “P” is for photo and “V” for voltaic.
The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines “photovoltaic” this way.
“of, relating to, or utilizing the generation of a voltage when radiant energy falls on the boundary between dissimilar substances.”
In simpler terms, “photo” refers to sunlight and “voltaic” refers to electrical energy. PV panels convert sunlight into electrical energy. Sunlight flows into the solar panel. Electrical energy flows out of the solar panel.
A PV solar panel is made up of many photovoltaic (light to volts) cells. These cells are electrically connected, and then covered with glass. The glass provides electrical insulation. It is also good protection from weather and other damaging forces.
When minimal energy is needed, such as that necessary to power a small appliance, a single PV solar panel is sufficient. When more power is needed, an “array” of solar panels is created by connecting panels to one another. If the power will not be supplied to the power grid, the solar panel(s) is connected to a charge controller, and battery. If it is intended for on-grid use, the solar panel array will be connected to an electrical inverter.
What Is PV Solar Power?
PV solar power is solar energy in the form of sunlight, which has been collected by a photovoltaic module, and converted into usable electricity.
Conventional silicon solar panels convert about 14 to 17 percent of sunlight into usable electricity. That isn’t much. Late in 2006, however, a new solar cell
was introduced. Solar panels that utilize the new cell can convert into electricity 22 percent of the sunlight they collect. Theoretically, the maximum that the cells of a solar panel can convert is said to be around 26 to 27 percent of incoming sunlight.
How does it work? Let’s look at a very simple explanation.
Each photovoltaic cell in a PV solar panel is a semiconductor. When sunlight hits those cells, a certain part of the sunlight is absorbed by those silicon cells. The cells take in that part of the sunlight’s energy. The cells then transfer the absorbed sunlight’s energy to the electrons in the silicon. The electrons begin to flow, and this creates an electrical current. Metal contacts built into the top and bottom of the PV cells draw off that current and it is sent to the grid or battery. It is now usable electricity. The power grid sends it on its way, if you have used an on-grid connection. If you are using a battery, it is stored in the battery awaiting your need.
PV solar power is being used increasingly with great success, and while it is true that cloud cover can affect it, the cloudy country of Germany leads the world in successful use of solar panels.
Factors Affecting Your Solar Energy Output
Many factors affect the energy output by your solar energy system. Some vary and some are fixed, but knowing what these factors are can help you combat them. There are also things you can do both before and after your system is installed to increase the efficiency of your solar energy system.
Maximal Output
The electrical output of solar panels is measured in watts. The amount of wattage produced by solar panels is what differentiates them from each other. There are several scenarios during which solar panels reach their maximum output. High noon is one of the main ones since it is during the hottest part of the day. When it is not raining or snowing and the skies are clear, solar panels are able to produce at maximum efficiency. Other conditions include the sun being perpendicular to Earth, solar panels being optimally tilted and the panels facing southward.
Weather Conditions
Weather conditions can majorly impact the energy output by your solar energy system. Clouds, rain, snow, fog, haze and smog can all reduce the amount of sunlight that reaches your solar panels. As a result, the power your solar energy system generates is greatly reduced. To combat this, make sure that your system includes a battery bank.
A battery bank can save excess energy produced on clear and sunny days. You will be thankful for this on days when your system is not producing much.
Time of Day
Solar energy is at its peak at high noon. Although your solar energy system will produce power in the morning and late afternoon, the majority of your system’s output will be produced around noontime. Your system will be more efficient during the summer than it will be during the winter when the days are shorter. Once again, however, having a battery bank included in your solar energy system can help to combat this problem.
Proximity to the Equator
Your proximity to the equator affects the power generated by your system. Your solar panels will generate more electricity the closer you are to the equator.
Shading
Your solar energy system needs to be installed in an open area unaffected by shade. If even a small section of the solar panels are shaded, the energy output will be reduced. This issue is why it is so popular to place solar panels on roofs. This method works only if you do not have any large trees or other structures that shade your roof.
Dirty Panels
Even when installed on your roof, solar panels can become dirty. Pollution, traffic dust and even bird droppings contribute to soiling the solar panels. When the panels are dirty, their efficiency is reduced. To combat this, be sure to have the panels cleaned regularly, whether you do it yourself or pay somebody else to do it.
You can help your solar energy system be more efficient by making sure it includes a control flow system. The control flow system reduces the volume of water that needs to be heated, thereby increasing the solar energy system efficiency.
Another way to increase the efficiency of your solar energy system is to install solar roof shingles instead of traditional solar panels. Since solar shingles cover the entire surface of your roof, problems such as the tilt angle can be done away with. You can also save money, as you will not need to install additional components like control flow systems to combat efficiency problems.
Is Renewable Energy Technology Really Available To Homeowners
With the rising energy costs and effects of global warming so prevalent today, many people are wondering if there is truth to the concept of renewable energy technology. There also appears to be confusion between alternative energy technology and renewable energy technology. Alternative energy encompasses all renewable energy sources, but includes things like nuclear power and energy from municipal waste. These are carbonaceous examples. Renewable energy technology focuses on energy that is replaced as it is being used, such as solar energy and wind energy.
With that clear, are there truly benefits on a home or small business level to renewable solar technology? Absolutely. Truthfully, by utilizing renewable energy technology on a home level you can save yourself thousands of dollars each year. Renewable energy technology has gained popularity in recent years and it has become increasingly easy to meet your home’s energy needs with just a little research on your part. With the information available about renewable energy technology, it is possible to install renewable energy products, such as a windmill or solar panel, with the help of trained professionials. Picking the right installer can be overwhelming but we are here to serve your needs. If you have the money to invest in a commercial professionally installed system, in general these are more efficient, however, savings can still be realized, and at a much faster rate, by researching and designing your own renewable energy systems ( we design as well so aske us for a quote today).
Renewable energy technology is advancing with each day. Solar electrical systems have advanced from giant roof panels to thin layers of film that are twice as conductive and work with less sunlight ( even on cloudy days). There are now solar powered charges for cell phones, batteries and other small household items. Windmills have been made more aerodynamic for greater action and electricity generation. Renewable energy technology can even be seen along today’s highways as small solar/wind operation stations powering signs and lights.
The truth is renewable energy technology is working and you can put it to work for you in your home or business. With growing popularity and more consumer use, renewable energy technology could minimize our effects of global warming, help alleviate financial stress and create a world less depend on fossil fuels.
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Affordable options to convert your home to solar
Before you decide to move into Solar consider the recent article on converting to solar in your home and utilize cost effective ways to manage the savings by converting you home to solar utilizing systems from Earth Care Solar Technologies trained staff of professionials
Many options to discover will pay them selves off in a short period of time.
