Solar Power for Homes

Investing in solar power for homes is the right homeowner choice in 2012/2013. The rapid drop in the prices of solar electric panels during 2010/11, the generous federal energy tax credits in the US (or generous feed in tariff in Europe and Israel) and the maturity of the solar panels industry has positioned this technology on a higher altitude in 2012 and the trend will continue into 2013 and beyond. The homeowner who invest in solar power after he educated himself on the subject is doing the right thing. This page describes the different residential solar power applications.

Solar Power as Main Electrical Power Generator

Electrical home power is indispensable in our modern age; we simply cannot imagine our life without electricity. Solar electric power enables the homeowner to generate electric power locally on the roof of his home or at his backyard. The house is still connected to the grid and can get electricity over night and when the demand is higher than the solar system generation capability. When the demand is lower than the production capability the house can sell the surplus electricity to the utility.
The heart of home solar power systems are the solar electric panels that directly convert sun radiation to DC electrical power; in most cases a DC to AC solar power inverter is connected between the solar panels and the house. The main benefits of residential solar systems are :

Reduced dependency on the utility

Free of charge electricity (after the capital investment was fully returned)

Solar power for homes generators do not pollute and do not make noise; use of solar power for homes generators directly contribute to a better environment

Solar Battery Chargers

Most solar battery chargers are built to recharge 12V batteries. 12V DC is the most popular battery voltage. Solar battery chargers come in small size (up to 5 Watts), medium size (15 Watts to 60 Watts) and large size (greater than 60 Watts). Things to look for when buying a solar battery charger are:

That it can work under severe weather conditions
Waterproof
Shock resistant
Rust resistant
Equipped with reverse charge protection (a protection diode)
Equipped with overcharge protection
Comes with battery clamps, wiring kit and cigarette lighter plug
Has status light on its panel

Solar Outdoor Applications

There are many outdoor applications to solar electric power. Outdoor lights that are not connected to the house main supply and are autonomous, swimming pool lights, garden water fountains, off grid water pumps and many other applications.

Portable Solar Power Generators

The need for portable electric power generators exist ever since people used electronic devices and electronic instruments in remote regions that are not connected to the grid. A reliable alternative to portable diesel generator are portable solar power generators. Portable solar generators are compact, light weight, silent and clean. You don’t need to carry fuel that might spill or spread odors, and you don’t need to buy fuel.

Solar Electric Panels Cost

One of the obstacles to the spread of solar power was the price of solar electric power. The price of the main cost item namely solar electric panels dropped dramatically in 2010/11. The price dropped from a typical $5-6 per Watt, to $2-3 per watt.