Create Your Own Energy!

The first question to be answered is “why would I want to make a solar panel”, right? The answer is because you could create energy from the sun and save money on your energy bill and you would also be helping the environment at the same time.

Many people today are looking for ways to cut their energy bill due to the economy and they are turning to solar energy for help. Years ago it would have been far too costly to think about using solar power for energy savings, however the advancement of technology has made it much more affordable and it’s caused a flurry of do-it-yourselfer’s to make solar panels themselves.

How hard is it to Make My Own Solar Panels?

Well, if you are handy at fixing things around your house then you should find it quite easy in fact and maybe even a little fun! There are lots of very good diy (do it yourself) guides available that can make it even easier. Most if not all of the items that you will need can be found at your local hardware store and you may even find complete kits for the project depending on which store you are shopping in.

What are the main components for solar panels?

The main component in a solar cell is called a photovoltaic cell. These are very light weight and easy to carry and are the primary building block of your solar panel. The remaining components are going to be some plywood, a roll of copper wire, solder, some silicone and some glass or plexiglass.

What are the tools needed for making solar panels?

You will need to have some basic tools that are most likely already in your tool box now. If you don’t already have a soldering iron then you will want to pick up a decent one.

How expensive will it be to make my own solar panels?

Depending on how big your house is and how much energy you would like to save from your power bill, you may want to build more than one panel, however It can be surprisingly inexpensive to make your own solar panels, in fact you can build several solar panels for under two hundred dollars.

What is the process for putting together the solar panels?

You will want to place a sheet of plywood onto a workbench and lay your solar cells (Photovoltic cell) in rows along the sheet, then drill some holes through the plywood so that you will be able to run the wires to connect all of the cells together in series. Solder the cells together and check to make sure all your connections are good before you do the next step. Ok, now you will cover the solar cells with either glass or plexiglass and you now have a solar panel!

The process should only take a few hours and you will now have the ability to reduce your electric bill and if you build enough possibly even eliminate your bill altogether.

Many people start out with the intention of building a solar panel as a back-up for their refridgerator or as a back up in case of a power outage and they get hooked on the feeling of being able to generate their own power and wind up building enough solar panels to cut their electric bill in half or more, some even eliminate their need for electricity from their local power company altogether!

Systems to harness solar power have been available for a long time.  It was thought years ago that with the advancement in technology using solar energy would be the end of the oil crisis, however that has not happened yet.

The upfront costs for solar panels that would be capable of powering an entire home were to expensive for most people and so the progress has been slow to make solar power mainstream.

Recently advancements have brought the cost down considerably and even some programs that give incentives for installing solar panels have created a lot of enthusiasm for home owners and businesses to install solar panels to cut their energy bills.

Solar Panels Absorb Energy Even When It’s Cloudy!

Though solar panels still absorb solar energy when it’s cloudy outside, they absorb much more energy and therefore produce more power if they’re exposed to direct sunlight.  Solar power systems are therefore much more effective in Tucson, AZ, then they are in Seattle, WA.  Also, solar power systems produce more power during longer days, so short Alaskan winter days aren’t very good for solar systems.  The ideal environment is in the desert, with long days and little cloud cover.

Solar power systems are also very useful for providing power in locations which are hard to reach with standard power lines.  They’re extensively used for cell phone towers and other reflective antenna arrays located on mountaintops and other hard to reach places.  Since these installations don’t require a great deal of power or maintenance to run, solar panels can provide plenty of power without needing to be maintained or refueled.  Though we’re probably still quite a ways from a completely solar-powered society, we’ll likely see many more solar powered devices as solar technology becomes more refined and more efficient.

The uses for solar power are growing every day and innovation continues to bring the cost down and make it more affordable for the average home owner.  As more solar panels are produced the costs will continue to come down even more.
Within ten years most people will have some form of Solar system installed in their home as a back-up power source for refriderators and heating systems.  Those that have a generator as a back-up will add solar power for piece of mind.

Because Solar Panels do not have moving parts that last for a very long time once installed and virtually pay for themselves over time!

EzineArticles.com