What’s Your Plan!
Climate change has pretty much become a religion, making reports on global warming the sacred texts that are used to preach the goodness of using alternate energy sources, such as solar panels for instance. Although there’s no doubt that the climate is changing rapidly, some countries are quick to respond while others still lag behind. While looking for countries that have put their best foot forward in tackling climate change, Australia comes to mind. For instance, our sun-burnt land is blessed with many assets when it comes to alternate energy sources. One of which is, you guessed it, solar power energy.
Solar Panels for Your Home:
So, we have invented or should I say tweaked the solar energy technology and we certainly have the sun on our side, so how do these alternate energy sources work?
Photovoltaic cells are made of special materials called semi-conductors such as silicon, which is currently being used for making solar panels. Basically, what these PV cells do is that when light strikes the cell, a certain portion of it is absorbed within the semi-conductor material. The energy knocks electrons loose, allowing them to flow freely, thus producing electrical current.
Solar PV systems produce DC current, which can be used with DC appliances or converted to AC by means of an inverter as an alternate energy source. More and more of today’s electronics run on DC, which requires those little power supplies that plug into the wall which convert the AC to DC.
To break this process down further, these PV cells also have one or more electric field that acts to force electrons freed by light absorption to flow in a certain direction. This flow of electrons is a current, and by placing metal frames on the top and bottom of the PV cell, we can draw that current off as an alternate energy source for external use.
So how Many Solar Panels do You Need?
When looking at alternate energy sources, many buyers ask the question: how many solar panels do you need? There is only one way of knowing that and that is by using energy converting methods. The most basic measurement of electrical power is the watt. Since this amount of electricity is so small, you’ll find most appliances rated in kilowatts. A kilowatt is simply 1000 watts of electrical power. Electric companies often use kilowatt hours to measure power usage. A good example of a kilowatt hour is if you left ten 100-watt light bulbs running for one hour, they would produce 1000 watts for 1 hour or 1 kWh.
The most common solar panels measure 4′ 5″ by 2′ 2″ and produce 120 Watts at their peak power. At this rate, one panel will produce 1.04 kWh per day at its peak power. For the average household which consumes 100 kWh per month, in order to become completely dependent on solar powered with 120 W panels, they would need to buy around thirty to thirty-five solar panels.
Types of Solar Panel Installation:
If you are looking for alternate energy sources and have decided to turn to solar panels for your domestic consumption, you will have to choose from the following types of solar panel installation.
Solar Panel Racking Installation:
In this installation process, the mounts are placed on the rafters and drilled on to the surface of the rooftop. The rafters are usually placed at about sixteen or twenty-four inches apart. Hence, a common spacing between the mounts is taken to be at twenty-four inches. Mounts however, need to be in a straight line which can be ensured by drawing a straight chalked line and also by using a thread which can be tightened at both ends.
PV Installation:
When it comes to alternate energy sources, PV installation is considered the best. Using a photovoltaic system makes the installation process a quick one, especially when the home is being re-roofed. This saves the cost of labour and most importantly, the cost of alteration in construction procedures. Solar panels installed on the rooftops of the houses can be flush mounted or in a lifted up manner. This type of solar panel installation equips a technique called “flashed-in,” hence eliminating the possibility of roof leaks, if any.
This practice of solar panel installation makes sure that the solar panels are securely bolted to the top of the roof into the rafters. This is generally known as wide-wise method in which the solar panels are installed on the top of the roof. This makes the future cost rendered to be low in terms of the removal of the solar panels. A certified, local installer will not only help you design your solar panel system, but will also recommend the most viable option according to your accommodation, not to mention help you with purchasing, rebates, and installation.
Benefits of Solar Panels as an Alternate Energy Source:
- • Clean energy, no combustion, no greenhouse gas emission.
- • Inexhaustible fuel supply.
- • Available practically everywhere.
- • Well suited for distribution generation.
- • Technology is rapidly improving.
- • Generates electricity directly from sunlight.
- • Generates electricity directly from sunlight.
- • No moving parts required.
- • Power generation is silent.
- • Little or no transmission required.
- • Matches up well with air-conditioning needs.
- • Requires minimal maintenance.
- • Grants and incentives are occasionally available.
- • Excess heat can be used for co-generation of alternate energy.
Budget Issues:
When it comes to alternate energy sources that have responsible policies at local, state, and national levels, the cost of solar power has been dropping significantly over the years. There are even services that will allow you to “rent” your roof to a solar provider. You can even sell the extra electricity you make to your neighbours. But the most important point is that solar panels are a relatively cheap source of clean renewable energy.
Bottom Line:
So, since we all agree that solar panels are definitely the more viable option in curbing the affects of climate change, couple that with the delight our regulators take in penalizing industries polluting the atmosphere with greenhouse gases along with institutions and good-doers parroting the benefits of using alternate energy sources like solar energy, and the future of solar panel technology seems bright for the land down under.
Did you Know?
The average homeowner saves over a thousand dollars (that’s Australian) a year on electricity by installing solar panels on top of their roof. That also includes the cost of the solar panels along with its installation. Want to know more? Contact your local solar panel providers today at 1300 867 328
For further information, fill in an online enquiry today, or give us a call on 1300 867 328
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