SOLAR ENERGY

Just recently, I became an advocate of "renewable energy", and shortly after I found myself doing research on how you can power up your homes using solar and wind energy. The information that I found was quite overwhelming and made me think hard on what should I focus on.

Two questions kept circling my mind:

1. Should I focus solely on resources such as solar and wind that provides energy for homes;
2. Or, should I zero-in on energy efficient homes in terms of design.

There has been a rising concern as to how we can all fight global warming and how we can all help slow down if not completely stop it. Most experts say that the damage of carbon monoxide emission into the atmosphere is already irreversible. It seems to me like, there is nothing that we can do anymore to stop planet earth from heating up.

So, I began looking ---- and started looking at me----" what can I do to help?" This is now my answer to that call.


So, let's get down to the basics:

ENERGY FOR HOME - Solar and Wind as Source of Energy.

We have heard of stories of people "living-off grid". Those who are utilizing the rich resources and abundant in nature, SOLAR and WIND. The sun is a great source of energy, most of all it's free. What is it that we are actually capturing from the sun that can be converted into energy for home? Solar Radiation is what is being captured which in turn can be converted into useful forms of energy such as heat and electricity by combining it with other technologies. That is, solar panels.

The amount of Solar Radiation one could possibly get is dependent on several factors:

1. Geographic Location
2. Time of Day
3. Season
4. Local Landscape
5. Local Weather

The Sun strikes the earth at different angles. From just nearly above the horizon, or directly overhead. The earth is getting all the possible energy when the sun ray is vertical. When the rays are slanted, it means that they travel longer in the atmosphere and they become more diffused. In return, lesser energy.

Also, it is common knowledge that the earth revolves around the sun. It is closer to the sun when it is summer in the southern hemisphere and winter in the northern hemisphere. A significant factor in determining the amount of light striking the earth in a particular location is the tilt in axis of earth's rotation (23.5 deg.).

In the United States, more solar energy is received during summer, not only because days are longer than nights but also the sun is nearly overhead.

Summer will be the best time to start building or installing solar panels if you are seriously thinking of generating your own energy for home.

More info at www. GreenHub.ws