Real Estate Search Direct

Do you know the facts about solar energy? It is in high demand with energy prices increasing and concerns over global warming.  Green energy is becoming more and more popular as people become more aware of their responsibility to the Earth and its natural resources.

When you are looking into buying a new home, it is a good idea to consider the energy sources you will use.  Many people are “off the grid” now and generating their own electricity from solar and wind generators.

You may think it sounds complicated and expensive, but it can save you a lot of money in the long run.  Do you know what is even better than saving money on energy?

In fact, you can earn money selling excess energy you generate to the power company.

There are also rebates and tax incentives available in many areas to encourage the use of alternative energy sources.

I used to set up solar energy systems in my previous career as a telecommunications engineer.  I went to places in Africa, Central and South America where they don’t have steady power sources so communication systems can’t depend on local power.

We would set up solar panels to provide power to the communications equipment so people could make phone calls when there was no commercial power available.

A solar energy system is not all that complicated to set up.  You need the following components:

• Solar panels to collect the sun’s energy and convert it to electricity.
• A frame to hold the panels in place.
• A regulator to control the flow of electricity to the batteries.
• Batteries to store the electricity for use when the sun is not available.
• Cables to carry the power from the panels to the batteries and from the batteries to the house.
• An inverter to provide AC power from the DC coming from the batteries.

The key to a successful solar power system is locating the panels in the proper location and orientation to get the most sunlight each day.

For installations in the Northern Hemisphere the panels will need to face South to get the most sunlight.   The angle of the  panels can be adjusted to different angles depending on the latitude of the installation.

You will need a place where there are no trees, buildings or fences to the south blocking the sunshine.   The location should also be secure to prevent theft of the panels.

Even in Irvine, which has been rated one of the safest cities in the United States, we had solar panels stolen from where they were installed in a parking lot behind the building where I worked.

Wind power can be used in conjunction to solar energy to help reduce your dependence on the commercial power grid.

A great place to find all the facts about solar energy and on alternative energy sources is Earth 4 Energy.  They have resources to save you thousands of dollars on  alternative energy systems as well as instructions for do-it-yourself solar and wind generator installations.  See the Earth 4 Energy website for more details.

Allen Davis
RealEstateSearchDirect.com