Home Made Solar Wind Power on a Budget
The energy crunch is a real worldwide crisis as fossil fuel supplies decrease and populations increase. Utility costs are going up in pace with the increasing demand for electricity. It’s no wonder that the alternative energy arena is a quickly growing market with millions of dollars invested every year. And of these great clean renewable energy sources, wind and solar power show the most promise.
What is really exciting is the realization of the incredibly high level of abundance of energy that is radiated by the sun. The amount is actually quite unfathomable. Studies have shown that the amount of energy received from the earth by the sun in just one hour is enough to satisfy the entire world’s electricity demand for an entire year! It really puts in perspective the grandeur of this almost endless source of energy.
When you think about it, the sun is really the source of all life on the planet as well as the driving force for all the weather patterns on earth. It is also the driving force behind every web of life and all of the earth’s cycles. This leads us to the other nearly endless abundant source of energy: Wind.
As long as the earth spins on its axis and the sun radiates upon it, weather patterns and the winds that are produced will always occur. Weather patterns consist of the complex and often chaotic relationship between water, the sun’s energy, and the cooling and heating of air masses throughout the atmosphere. It’s a constant interaction and clashing of cool (low pressure) air masses and hot (high pressure) air masses with water molecules usually in vapor or condensed states. It’s a very complex dance, but the result in many parts of the world is constant wind. One of the many places where winds blow constantly is the Great Plains region of North America, from northern Texas all the way to Canada.
Constant winds and the very simple yet efficient technology of wind turbines lead to a very clean and renewable source of electricity. Once again, the abundance of the source of energy is so great that it is difficult to put it in perspective. A study by Stanford University in 2005 showed that there is enough wind energy worldwide to satisfy 7 times the global demand. And that’s if only 20% of all the wind is captured!
So why is it that the human beings on the planet have not collectively headed toward using solar wind energy to meet global demands on a large scale and fully replace fossil fuels? Why haven’t large energy corporations and all governments invested trillions in wind and solar power by now? We all have a pretty good idea why, but that’s a whole other article. The purpose of this article is to inspire a call to action for solar and wind power, and to inform the reader that the revolution toward renewable energy starts with you the individual! How you may ask? By making your own solar wind home energy system.
Making your own solar wind energy system is totally doable today in a very cost effective way. Home solar power systems these days can run between and thousand depending on capacity. But there is a resource where you can learn how to make your own photovoltaic panels and your own wind turbines for under 0. If you are interested or inspired to supplement your electricity and cut down costs, you have to check out Michael Harvey’s manual for generating your own electricity. Remember the massive abundance of these energy sources, and you’ll be inspired to help yourself and the earth as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
QUESTION:
How to tell if solar garden lights are working?
I am looking after my friends landscape. I never see the lights turn on now? Do I need to replace the batteries or do I need a new set of Solar lights? Are solar lights connected to an electric outlet? Where do I buy a solar battery charger ( hardware stroe, Walmart, Target?)? The top of the solar panel look dirty and old. Does it look like I need to replace the solar lights for them?-
ANSWER:
The batteries should recharge in the light as they are recharged from the small solar panel on top. You could try cleaning the window above the solar panel and if the battery still doesn't charge it is time for new batteries. After pricing replacement NiCd batteries it is definitely tempting to just replace the lights. No solar lights don't plug in, that's why they are popular - no wiring to them. But the batteries only last a couple of years. Make sure they are all in direct sunlight a good portion of the day to get a good charge.
-
-
QUESTION:
How much solar system setup for running power a home might cost ?
How much solar system setup for running power a home might costs ? I am from India and their are too many power cuts , so i have decided to setup solar system instead of buy a generetor or invertor , and can any one tell me which company in India supply Solar system setup for home-
ANSWER:
I don't know about companies in India, but what you might do is look around for someone who has a system, then ask where they got it. If you have trouble finding anyone with a system, maybe it's not a very good deal.If the home is in a less-developed area, and all you would be powering is a light, and a radio or TV at night, then you might get by with the kind of system they use in some parts of Africa. It has a 40 or 80-watt panel, and basically a car battery. The appliances run right off the battery, and no charger or other devices are used. This sort of system costs 0-300 when implemented by a nonprofit organization - I don't know what the cost if you were to try to set it up, yourself.
On the other hand, it sounds like you're already connected to a power grid, and maybe already have a heavy appetite for energy in your house. A solar system with batteries tends to cost about a watt in the USA, when hundreds or thousands of watts are involved. A system for a modest off-grid cabin will cost anywhere from 00 to 000, depending on the size.
-
-
QUESTION:
Solar energy- does anyone know of a DIY way to make a solar collector and transfer that energy to batteries?
I would like to learn about solar energy and how I can make some panels for my home, of course with in a reasonable budget. My goal is to be able to run a refrigerator and fan off of battery. Any ideas out there?-
ANSWER:
If your goal is to save money, it will be hard to do that with solar electricity. You can come out ahead under some circumstances, but powering a refrigerator and a fan is an unlikely one. However, if your goal is to learn about this kind of setup, you could get a kit from (say) Harbor Freight for a few hundred dollars, which will (barely) charge a car battery over a period of a couple weeks. The energy you collect could power a fan for several hours.You could also learn about solar electricity just by searching the web. That way, you don't need to spend any money at all. Our solar setup is documented at
http://www.angelfire.com/ca2/roderick/solar/photovoltaic.html
That said, there are ways you can save money on energy. A solar hot water heater usually pays for itself over time, depending on where you live. You can buy a kit to retrofit your existing water heater for perhaps 00 or so.
Also, if your refrigerator is old, just changing to a new, extremely efficient model can save 1/3, maybe even 2/3 of the energy.
-
-
QUESTION:
Solar fencer do you have one, and did you notice a savings on your electric bill?
I just bought a solar fencer for my horse, and was wondering if you noticed a decline in your electric bill? I bought it due to the conveince of no electirc cord running my yard all yr, can't do much about winter for the hot water tank heater, wish they would come up with a solar for that as well.-
ANSWER:
I have one but the one I was replacing was a battery powered one so it was not plugged in.
I do not have to buy batteries any more and that is ah uge savings.
I love the sloar powered one.
A solar powered tank heater would be great
-