Generating solar energy at home has become increasingly popular in recent years, as more people are looking for ways to reduce lower their electric bills, and also reduce their reliance on imported fossil fuels for home electric. Of course, solar electric comes from converting the sun’s rays to energy. So, it is renewable, and clean. There are various ways to go solar in your home, and personal and nationwide benefits of doing it.
Ways to Make Your Own Solar Electricity
Solar Roof Tiles and Shingles
Solar roof tiles and solar roof shingles, are designed to look like regular roof tiles / shingles, however they have embedded solar generators called photovoltaic cells. They are installed on the roof just like regular tiles and shingles and can be almost unnoticeable to a lot of people. Basically, your roof becomes your electric company! Many builders these days install solar roofs as an option, or even some may make it standard. The house in the picture at the beginning of this article has a solar roof (Photo courtesy of Tesla, Inc.).
Solar Panels
Usually solar panels are installed on your existing roof, or sometimes in a ground-mounted system in the yard.ย These panels are made up of photovoltaic cells that convert sunlight into electricity.ย To install solar roof tiles or solar panels, you will need to find a reputable installer who can assess your home’s energy needs and recommend a solar system that is suitable for your location and budget. The installation process typically takes a few days to a week, and the system will need to be connected to the power grid to start generating electricity.
Solar Water Heaters
Solar water heaters are another way to generate solar energy at home. They use the sun’s energy to heat water for household use. Solar water heaters typically consist of a collector that absorbs sunlight and a storage tank to hold the heated water. There are two types of solar water heaters: active and passive. Active solar water heaters use pumps to circulate the water through the collector and into the storage tank, while passive solar water heaters rely on natural convection to circulate the water.ย Many swimming pools use solar as a pool heater.
Solar-Powered Portable Generators
Solar-powered generators may be used for outdoor activities such as camping, or as a backup power source in case of a power outage. They typically consist of a battery, solar panels, and an inverter to convert the DC power from the solar panels into AC power for household use.
To use a solar-powered generator, you will need to place the solar panels in direct sunlight to charge the battery. Once the battery is fully charged, it can be used to power small appliances and devices.
Solar Landscape Lights
Solar landscape lights are another way to generate solar energy at home. Typically they are used to light up driveways, gardens, and pathways without the need for batteries or long underground wiring. Typically they use low-energy LED lights.
Benefits of Solar Power
Solar power can provide a lot of personal benefits for your home, and also can provide other greater societal benefits for people interested in them.
Saves Money
After the initial cost of the solar installation, solar power can help homeowners save money on their electricity bills. By using solar power to generate electricity, you can reduce their reliance on electricity from the grid and avoid the rising costs of electricity. Typically in-home solar electric generation saves people in the range of $400-$1,000 per year.
Increases Property Value
Installing solar panels or solar roof tiles can also increase the value of a property. According to a one study, homes with solar panels get a higher valuation than comparable homes without them.
Usually Low Maintenance
Solar panels and solar roof tiles require very little maintenance. Once installed, they can generate electricity for 20 to 30 years without any major maintenance requirements.
Greater Personal Independence
By generating your own electricity, you become more independent from the problems faced by electric utilities. In some states, blackouts or deliberate rolling blackouts have become more frequent in recent years. With your own solar electricity generation, in many instances those utility interruptions do not affect you.
If you have an electric car, your electric bill is probably very high due to the large amount of electricity needed to charge the car battery. Having a solar roof or panel can help to offset the cost of the charging up!
Increases National Energy Independence
Unfortunately, we live in an unstable world, and many of the oil and gas supplying regions are unreliable or unstable as suppliers. We normally do not mention historical events, but this was vividly demonstrated in 2022 with the Russian invasion of Ukraine. For many parts of Europe energy supplies were disrupted because Russia became an unreliable supplier. This also causes huge increases in energy costs around the world, including in the U.S. and Canada.
By generating your own electricity using solar power, you increase not only your own independence, but help the country as a whole.
Suitable for Remote Areas
Solar power is also ideal for remote areas that are not connected to the power grid. By using solar power to generate electricity, these areas can become self-sufficient and independent. This can help improve the quality of life for people living in these areas by providing them with a reliable source of energy.
Renewable and Sustainable
One of the most well-known benefits of solar power is that it is renewable and sustainable. After all, it comes from the sun, which is both free, and unlimited. Unlike fossil fuels, which are non-renewable, solar power will continue to be available as long as the sun is shining.
Good For The Environment
Solar power is a clean source of energy that does not produce any harmful emissions. Typical fossil fuel electric generation introduces a number of pollutants and particulates into the air. Also, they are carbon-based, and therefore emit carbon, which as been attributed to be a factor in anthropomorphic impact on climate.ย By using solar power, you can significantly reduce your carbon footprint if that is a concern. According to one source, a typical residential solar panel system in California can reduce carbon emissions equivalent to driving a car for over 20,000 miles.
Disadvantages of Solar Power
While solar power has many advantages, there are also several disadvantages to consider:
Nights and Cloudy Days: Home solar electric generation requires sunlight, of course. So, it is reduced on cloudy days, and is not available at night. This means that solar power systems need to be paired with forms of energy storage like batteries, and also need a backup source, whether it is the electric company, or a gasoline or diesel generator.
Initial Cost: While the cost of solar panels and roof tiles has decreased significantly in recent years, the initial investment required to install a solar power system can still be relatively high.
Environmental Impact: Although solar is an environmentally friendly way to generate power, the manufacture of solar panels can have an environmental impact, in terms of the materials used and the energy required to manufacture and transport them. Additionally, if solar panels are not disposed of properly, they can contribute to electronic waste.
Energy Storage: As mentioned earlier, solar power is intermittent, which means that energy storage is necessary for it to be a reliable source of power. However, energy storage systems can be expensive and may not be readily available in all areas.
Sunny Areas Work Better: Not all geographic locations are suitable for solar power, as some areas may not receive enough sunlight to generate significant amounts of electricity. This means that solar power may not be a viable option for everyone, depending on their location.
All in all, there are many different ways to generate solar energy at home, including solar roof tiles, solar panels, solar water heaters, solar-powered generators, and solar-powered lights. Each of these technologies has its own benefits and drawbacks, and the best option for your home will depend on your location, energy needs, and budget.