Solar Energy In A Modern World

Like it or not, folks, our dominion over carbon fuels is coming to an end. We used, depleted, finished, gorged on, and gobbled up the lot. Not to mention that in the process we also scattered enough carbon emissions to blow a hole in the ozone and p

Like it or not, folks, our dominion over carbon fuels is coming to an end. We used, depleted, finished, gorged on, and gobbled up the lot. Not to mention that in the process we also scattered enough carbon emissions to blow a hole in the ozone and pretty much hasten our own doom. But, enough armageddon talk! We have hope. We have sun! (A little more radioactive than it was 20 years ago, though)

So, what can the sun do for us besides turn our skin that awful lobster red color? Well, it can power your home. That's pretty impressive, isn't it? I know you've heard of solar panels and that they cost an arm and a leg and that you won't see a return on that investment for about 10 years. Well, I'm here to tell you that you can assemble a solar panel for about $200.00. On my website, there is reference material that you can download that tells you how to do it. I'm just mentioning it here because I want people to know that it's not impossible or out of budget to create your own home energy. Let's explore a little more about how solar panels work...

Solar panels are made of silicon. Silicon can fit 8 electrons in the atoms outer shell. When neutral, silicon holds 4 electrons, meaning it can fit in 4 more. By combining silicon with other elements, a charge is created. Sunlight produces many particles of energy. Most importantly, it includes a particle called a photon. When the photon hits the silicon plate which has been bonded to an element like phosphorus, an electron is kicked free. The repeated process is what generates electricity. Phew, science class!

Of course, it will take more than one solar panel to provide enough electricity to support the needs of an average home. You can calculate your needs based on the amount of kw's your home uses daily. To find this out, you would have to go through your old utility bills and get an average. Also, you would have to know how much sunlight, on average, you receive in a day based upon where you live and the time of year. A little effort is involved, but it is worth it in the long run.

You still might be thinking..."why do this?" Here is the best answer I can give you. Do you really think that your electricity bill is going to go down in the next few years? All I ever see with utility bills is that they are higher every year. Solar power isn't going away. It's ultimately reliable. If the sun dies, then we die, too, so losing our investment in solar won't matter anyway. Obama's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act allows for homeowners to deduct 30% of the costs without a cap. Lastly, it's clean energy. Pure and simple, it doesn't harm the environment. You can feel good about it when you power up your pc or turn on the kettle. So, folks, this IS the time to make that move and get on the Solar bus.

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Judy Collins is the author of several articles on energy conservation and environmental consciousness-raising.

http://projectearthnow.com

http://blog.projectearthnow.com

 

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