Solar energy for residential homes is nothing new. It has just been banished to the background in lieu of rising cost of property ; more recent more sophisticated building materials, design and the limitation of resources.

Since man started building homes, sunlight played a major influence in the design. In fact, even in the more sophisticated urban planning method of the Ancient Chinese and Greeks, the orientation of the buildings is as much as feasible directed towards where it could capture the most daylight.

The ancients may not be as intellectually sophisticated then to use slogans as passive solar and thermal mass but when they build, they were building in compact proportion, employing overhangs, producing insulations and building in manners that direct the airflow within the structure and manufacturing well lit, well ventilated spaces using the relative position of the sun to the orientation of their structures.

Recently, as the traditional sources of energy became dearer, householders were once again turning to the sun for energy wants.

Since the 1950’s, harnessing the sun’s rays has been developing and today the solar cell technology has achieved very efficient levels that modern ( supposed green house ) designs apply the sun’s power to provide energy for the home.

While solar energy is free, the device that will convert it to run our appliances isn’t. To provide solar energy for the home, solar cells called photovoltaic made from semi-conducting materials, are grouped into modules. These solar panels are mounted on rooftops, yards or open spaces where it can capture the maximum quantity of sunlight.

Whenever possible, the panels will be installed facing south to get the most out of the daylight but tracking systems are also used to follow the direction of the sun. The solar panels collect the energy from the daylight. The method fundamentally is that when the panels are exposed to sunlight, the electrons are separated form the atoms. This movement of the electrons creates electricity.

To store power, pumps are frequently used - circulating water in the cells. The water goes into a storage tank where the power is stored, prepared to be used. Occasionally, the use of gravity is employed if it’ll just the same store the heated water in to the tank.

In spite of all the development in solar energy though, the utilization of this technology isn’t really enough to provide power to the entire house. The best method so far can only fulfill about 80% of a homes power needs. Using solar energy for the home will still need the use of the standard power distribution technique.

Powering the houses by solar means will still, for a bit be augmented by a local power distribution agency. To many, this is already a good starting point. Homeowners that feel that the high price of powering their houses through solar power, is justified when put next to the price that is now being paid for traditional electrification technique where horrendous amounts of CO2 are being dumped into the atmosphere simply to generate a pitiful quantity of electricity.

However, due in part to the skyrocketing costs of energy, the technology for solar energy has been undergoing rapid phases of development. Experts are assured that within five years, powering the home thru the solar method will be made generally available for people that prefer it as its sole energy source.

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