Solar Links
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The good thing about using solar energy is that you don�t have to switch all your energy needs over at once. You can make your own difference to the environment by taking a more gradual approach. Each time you want a new gadget, why not try a solar powered gadget instead of one that is powered with a battery or via the grid? And, if you are confident enough to build your own solar panel why not start small and power just a few of your home appliances before you take things further. You can use solar energy to heat your house, run your car and if you are lucky enough, heat your swimming pool.
Residential energy use accounts for 16 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. So by going solar, not only will you reduce your carbon footprint but you will save a lot of money as well. The power of solar energy is here to stay and with technology improving all the time it has not yet been tapped for its true potential!
A long standing argument against using solar technology has been the overall cost of installation. This is partly due to the energy intensity of sunlight. Even though the earth is energised by the Sun the amount of Solar energy falling on a square meter of earth is actually quite small - working out to roughly 300Watts per sq meter depending on location. This of course means large solar panels are needed to meet the energy needs of a typical home - generally Solar Panels with a size 10% the entire living area. The size of these panels and subsequently the cost make the decision to buy difficult when you consider how long it would take to see a return on investment.
The good news is that building your own solar power units can be comparatively inexpensive when compared to off the shelf solar products. Also, because it�s not necessary to convert your entire energy needs at once, a gradual switch becomes a lot more affordable - your savings go to pay for the next phase of development.
A big but not often talked about advantage of going solar is a lessening dependence on outside influence. Most of us in the West are entirely dependent on foreign energy resources and subject to rising prices that we can do little about. Imagine never having to worry about rising prices, the possibility of outages or being subject to third party influence. In fact, many people who go solar end up selling energy back to the grid. How about that for turning the tables.
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