Greening The House: Solar Solutions

Photovoltaic energy is the most promising and popular form of solar energy. In solar photovoltaics, sunlight is actually converted into electricity. This is very different from a conventional understanding of solar power as only a way of heating water. Photovoltaic, now the biggest usage of solar energy around the world, is briefly explained below:

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Sunlight is made of photons, small particles of energy. These photons are absorbed by and pass through the material of a solar cell or solar photovoltaic panel. The photons 'agitate' the electrons found in the material of the photovoltaic cell. As they begin to move (or are dislodged), these are 'routed' into a current. This, technically, is electricity - the movement of electrons along a path.

Wire conducts these electrons, either to batteries or to the regular electrical system of the house, to be used by appliances and other household electrical items. In many solar energy systems, the battery stores energy for later use. This is especially true when the sun is shining strongly.

Solar thermal (ST) is one of the most cost-effective renewable energy systems. Solar thermal water heating systems collect the sun's energy in the form of thermal or heat energy.

Please call us to setup a review of your ideas and what we can offer you. Call us toll free 866.781.2028 or you can submit a request for an appointment by clicking here. Be sure to review your financing options under the "Government Funding Options" menu located directly above in the navigation menu.

It will save you plenty, as you won't need as much gas or electricity to heat water for your home: the sun will do most of the work. Sunlight (always free) heats your water from a regular temperature (less than 10 degrees Fahrenheit) to a temperature somewhere between 50 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. This drastically reduces your water heating costs.

A solar thermal water heater system can easily save you $1,000 per year, depending on where you live.

Two cost effective solar thermal systems:

A closed loop solar thermal system to supplement heat to your hot water tank. If "closed loop" sounds like technical babble, it only means that a system of piping circulates a liquid (either water or anti-freeze) through a self-enclosed system. The most popular and widely recommended of these is a system using glycol or anti-freeze. This solar thermal system will cost about $4,600 installed (with the price decreasing all the time).
A solar pool heater, popular and practical, is an open loop system. It's called this because water circulates back into the pool, which is (of course) an open system.