How To Make My House Solar Powered

Solar Lamps Where There Is No Electricity

But these kinds of lamps are not only for decorative purposes.

In countries like India or the Philippines, power outages are a daily occurrence due to inadequate or lack of power supply.

Some families still rely on kerosene for light, and in the long run that can also be expensive.

Solar homemade lamps are a perfect solution for these kinds of communities.

There are several associations that are trying to introduce the people living in these areas to homemade solar lamps and bulbs, and teach them how to make come up with their own.

In some of these countries, because of plastic pollution, there are more than enough plastic bottles lying around that can be used to create plastic bulbs.

These bulbs can be installed in the roofs of the families and create enough light in the living space to charge smaller solar lamps the bulb serves as an indoor sun.

This is revolutionary for these areas, but still relatively expensive since its at least 20 dollars per light bulb.

One of the organizations that is building solar light bulbs from a plastic bottles is called Litre of Light.

How Do Solar Panels Work

Simply put, solar panels absorb photons that then tap electrons free. Once theyre free from the atoms, it creates electricity! Solar panels take in light and directly turns it into a flow of electricity to use.

• Solar panel cells absorb sunlight
• They convert the light into DC power.
• All systems need some type of inverter to convert that power to AC power.
• The electricity is then sent through wires into your home
• That powers everything connected to it
• Any excess of electricity produced is then fed into the electric grid

Solar systems are not complicated and easy to understand once you have the basics down. Now that you understand how they work, lets take a look at how long they last

Select A Solar Charge Controller

Alright, so we have batteries and we have solar, now we need a way to manage putting the power from the solar into the batteries. An extremely rough calculation to figure out what size solar charge controller you need is to take the watts from the solar, and divide it by the battery bank voltage. Add another 25% for a safety factor.

Now theres a bit more to consider with selecting the charge controller. Charge controllers are available with two major types of technologies, PWM and MPPT. In short, if the voltage of the solar panel array matches the voltage of the battery bank, you can use a PWM charge controller. So, if you have a 12V panel and a 12V battery bank, you can use PWM. If your solar panel voltage is different than the battery bank, and cant be wired in series to make it match, you need to use an MPPT charge controller. If you have a 20V solar panel and you have a 12V battery bank, you need to use MPPT charge controller.

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How Much Will It Cost To Install Solar Panels At My Home

Though installation costs are dropping, an average installation will likely run you upwards of $10,000 even after a 30% federal tax credit. For many, the cost alone makes the notion of completely powering homes through solar panels difficult. And thats before you remember that Texas Retail Electricity Providers usually produce electricity much more cheaply than their residential power counterparts.

There is no doubt that solar panels will continue to drop in cost and increase in productive capacity in the future. But the majority of homeowners with solar panels dont use them as the exclusive source of residential power. Instead, they are connected to the utility grid in a process called net metering . Net metering is a fantastic option for people who want to decrease their electricity bill while increasing their environmental friendliness.

This unique billing arrangement follows this pattern:

• A household utility meter monitors how much electricity is consumed by the household and how much electricity is generated by the solar panels.
• On either a monthly or yearly basis, that household is only responsible for paying its net consumption its electricity consumption beyond what was generated by the homes solar panels
• This creates opportunities for the most electricity-conscious households to be compensated by their utility company.

Compare Your Solar Options: Rooftop Vs Community Solar

Perhaps one of the most exciting aspects of the residential solar energy sector is the list of options for homeowners who want to go solar but do not have a suitable roof. Ground mount solar installations and community solar subscriptions are two common ways to access power from the sun without actually installing anything on your rooftop. Community solar involves connecting with members of a group or your neighborhood to share a solar system, while ground-mounted arrays are an easy way to own and install your own system while bypassing any roofing hurdles.

Also Check: How To Use Solar Panels During Power Outage

Water Heating With Solar

Heat pump water heaters are the most efficient way to get hot water for your home, using similar technology as mini-split heat pumps youll use for space heating and cooling. Other options include heavily insulated electric tanks, or on-demand electric units, which may be preferable if your home will have limited mechanical room space.

Similarly to space heating, the design process involves looking at the homes number of occupants and making some assumptions around usage, in order to come up with a realistic design estimate:

The Falling Price Of Solar Energy

Currently, solar panels are one of the more easily accessible forms of renewable energy. Solar energy attracts people in large part because of its many benefits, ranging from significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to increasing home value by an average of $15,000. With enough panels installed in Texas to power more than 350,000 homes, it is no longer uncommon to see solar panels affixed to the roofs of residential homes and businesses.

This expansion is also due to the falling price of generating solar electricity. Solar prices in Texas from 2014 to 2019. This decrease is even more dramatic across a longer time frame, as solar panel installation costs in the United States dropped by 70% from 2009 to 2019. In response, demand for residential solar panels and solar power in general has grown tremendously.

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Professional Solar Installation Consultations

While these numbers can give you a handy pen-and-paper estimate on what your home requires to run entirely off solar power, its necessary to consult with a professional solar installation expert. With many specific variables to consider , youll want to ensure that professionals determine the most accurate data. From here, you can decide whether or not solar power is suitable for your home.

Enjoy all the benefits of a solar energy system while reducing your carbon footprint on the planet. Solar energy can power your entire home, as long as the right company is working with you to install your panels.

How Many Watts Do You Use

When looking at your utility bill, you should be able to see kilowatt-hours . KWH for homes can vary greatly depending on location. A home in the south is more likely to draw massive amounts of energy from air conditioner units.

Finding the average daily energy usage will help you calculate your solar needs. Once you have your usage you can look at how much wattage youll need to be able to run everything.

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• Cut two sides at 3-3/4- x 25-1/2-inches.
• Cut one back at 3-7/8- x 25-1/2-inches.
• Make a 1/8-in. wide x 1/4-in. deep groove 1/2-inch from the edge on both sides.

• Cut two bottom blocks at 2-3/4- x 3-7/8-inches.
• Cut two glass stop blocks at 2-5/8- x 3-7/8-inches.
• Cut two fronts at 1-1/2- x 3-7/8-inches.

How Many Solar Panels Are Needed To Power My Home

The average home in the U.S. uses 10,400 kWh of electricity per year. If you install the average 250-watt solar panel, youd need around 28-34 solar panels to generate enough energy to power your entire home.

However, unlike the traditional utility grid, which is automatically connected to your home during construction, solar panel installation is a highly individualized process something which also drives its price. We recommend taking these three steps to determine whether solar panels could be a good fit for you:

Lets try some basic math:

• 11,000 kWh of annual electricity usage / 1.31 = 8,396.9
• 8,396.9 / 250 = 33.58 » 34 panels.

While this estimate should not replace a professional evaluation, it can provide a useful rough idea to indicate the feasibility of solar panel installation for your house.

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Homeowners Guide To Going Solar

Since 2008, hundreds of thousands of solar panels have popped up across the country as an increasing number of Americans choose to power their daily lives with the suns energy. Thanks in part to the Solar Energy Technologies Office’s investments, the cost of going solar goes down every year. You may be considering the option of adding a solar energy system to your homes roof or finding another way to harness the suns energy. While theres no one-size-fits-all solar solution, here are some resources that can help you figure out whats best for you. Consider these questions before you go solar.

See the Spanish version here. Vea la versión en español aquí.

How does solar work?

There are two primary technologies that can harness the suns power and turn it into electricity. The first is the one youre likely most familiar with photovoltaics, or PV. These are the panels youve seen on rooftops or in fields. When the sun shines onto a solar panel, photons from the sunlight are absorbed by the cells in the panel, which creates an electric field across the layers and causes electricity to flow. Learn more about how PV works.

Is my home suitable for solar panels?

How do I start the process of going solar?

Can I install solar myself?

How much power can I generate with solar?

Will I save money by going solar?

Can I get financing for solar?

How can I find state incentives and tax breaks that will help me go solar?

Is solar safe?

What does mean?

How Many Solar Panels Do You Need: Panel Size And Output Factors

How many solar panels does the average house need? How many solar panels do I need for a 3-bedroom house? How many solar panels do I need for a 2000 sq. ft. home? These are all common questions for an aspiring solar homeowner. Determining how many solar panels youll need for your home requires first knowing what your goals are.

Do you want to minimize your carbon footprint? Maximize the return on your investment? Save as much money as possible?

Most people want to save money while minimizing their environmental impact.

To calculate how many solar panels you need, you need to know:

One simple way of answering the How many solar panels do I need question is to consult a professional solar installer, who can give you a free home solar evaluation.

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What Are The Hidden Costs Of A Diy Solar Project

There are multiple permits and inspections from your local jurisdiction and power company that you must pay for before your DIY solar project can go live. Consult with them to know what you must do and when in the process. Missing even one could delay or even prevent your projects completion.

But before you even get started doing the research for your solar system, check to be sure a non-licensed homeowner can install a grid-tie solar array. If not, you will have to involve a licensed solar company. This could be several thousand dollars more than you initially budgeted.

Your home insurance could increase due to the panels on your roof or property. Contact your agent before you get started to determine if the annual increase is within your budget.

If youre not totally sure youve purchased all the right componentry, make sure that theyre returnable before you even take them out of the box. If youre wrong and need to switch out materials, youll be disappointed by the extra expense if you cant be refunded for the item.

Efficiency Before Everything Else

If youâve read my guide to going solar, youâll know that the first step you should take is to make your house more energy efficient. There are some easy things you can do, after which the energy retrofits start to get more extensive, and expensive.

In my house thatâs more than 100 years old, weâve done all the easy and cost effective energy retrofits, and some more expensive ones, such as replacing some of the windows. If we wanted to completely eliminate our electricity bill in this old house, weâd either have to dial up the thermostat in the summer and suffer through the heat, or replace all of the old windows as well as rip off the vinyl siding so that we can add polyiso board around all of the exterior walls.

That would get pretty expensive for us, high enough that it would take a very long time for us to recoup the cost. But if you have a newer house, you probably have higher efficiency to start with and are in a better position.

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Assess Your Options For Using Solar

Purchasing and installing a system that you fully own and maintain is no longer the only option if you want to go solar. Even if you rent your home or don’t want to purchase a rooftop system, there are many programs will enable you to still benefit from solar electricity.

Below are some of the options available for using solar energy at home check with local installers and your utility for programs available in your area.

Purchasing a Solar Energy System

Purchasing a solar energy system with cash or a loan is the best option when you want to maximize the financial benefits of installing solar panels, take advantage of tax credits, and increase the market value of your home, and a solarize program is unavailable or impractical.

The solar installer will connect the system to the grid, and receive an interconnection permit from the utility. When the PV system generates more power than the homeowner requires, the customer is often able to sell excess electricity to the grid, and when the homeowners electricity needs exceeds the capacity of the system, the home draws energy from the grid as usual. Learn more about grid-connected home energy systems.

Purchasing a solar energy system is a good option if one or more of the following apply to you:

Community or Shared Solar

Consider community solar if one or more of the following apply to you:

Learn more about community and shared solar.

Solar Leases

Solar leases are a good option if one or more of the following apply to you:

Which Solar Energy Equipment And Materials Do You Need

In a rapidly expanding renewable energy supplies market, you have many choices for every component you must integrate to make your DIY solar system work efficiently during its entire operational life. Heres a list of the major parts for most solar systems.

After all the headwork and logistics are done, you move on to the legwork: installation of PV panels on racks or poles somewhere on your property, then connecting them to your home electric panel. Depending on whether you opt for grid-tie, off-grid, or a hybrid system, further electrical connections may be needed to get everything up and running.

Also Check: What To Know Before Buying Solar Panels

How Much Does Building Your Own Solar Panel System Or Solar Panel Kits Cost

Solar panel kits range in price, a 6kW system can cost anywhere from $7,000 – $15,000 before the 26% federal tax credit. However, this does not include permitting costs or installation, which is included if you work with a professional.

As of April 2021, the average cost of a 6kW system is about $17,100 before the tax credit after which would make the system $12,654. This relatively higher cost is worth it because it comes with a system you can trust for a lifespan of 25 years.

As for building solar panels from scratch, the costs of solar cells, wiring, inverters, permitting, etc. does vary, and it might add up to be less than the cost of working with a professional. But, these panels might not work and you will not have manufacturer support or warranties to rely on if your system stops working or you have questions.