FXSTD – Alternative Energy Center

By: Kevin King
A growing number of residential solar and wind powered electrical systems are located on homes in remote locations far from a utility distribution network. While it is possible to live without electricity, and even enjoyable to do so for brief periods of time, few things will improve your off-grid life style more than a reliable electrical power system.

Off-grid systems are stand-alone systems designed for RV, cabin, remote, backup and portable power applications. A basic off-grid system consists of a renewable energy source, which generates DC power, a battery bank that stores the DC power, and an inverter.

Today, the use of green renewable energy sources is becoming more popular. Solar electricity is a completely free and renewable resource. If you feel that energy conservation is important and if you want to be able to save more, residential solar electricity may be a good idea.

The free power of the sun providing for solar electricity is a huge benefit for the environment and for your family. Another attractive feature for many families that choose to convert to solar electricity is the independence it provides. With rising prices and the uncertain availability of fossil fuels, harvesting the sun's energy directly provides an economical and clean alternative source of electricity.

You will have a lot of fun in building your own solar power systems. Also, when you build your own solar panel you are giving yourself the knowledge to expand your system on your own, without calling installers, and the ability to adapt your current system to meet new design needs.

The most effective systems are on homes with a south facing roof and no shading from other buildings or trees. Obviously any shading of the array by trees, other buildings or hills will dramatically reduce output. It is important for the solar panels to receive the sunlight from the same direction and not to be shaded by trees or buildings.

Solar electric systems can be designed for quite a range of purposes and are tremendously valuable in remote areas where other power sources are not available. Those who choose to live off-grid often need to make adjustments to when and how they use electricity, so they can live within the limitations of the system's design.

Since photovoltaic technology requires sunlight to generate electricity, your system will not produce during the dark hours of the night. Off-grid solar-electric systems can be sized to provide electricity during cloudy periods when the sun doesn't shine. Photovoltaics are the most commonly deployed type of solar electric technology, consisting of either crystalline-silicon or thin-film panels. Producing energy from the sun is a common technology today.

People choose to live off-grid for a variety of reasons, including the prohibitive cost of bringing utility lines to remote home sites, the appeal of an independent lifestyle, or the general reliability a solar-electric system provides. There are various schemes and grants both locally and nationally that you can take advantage of to subsidize part of your renewable energy installation. In addition to decreasing your electricity costs, solar also adds value to your home. Imagine, lower your electric costs and make a difference in global warming at the same time.

The total purchase and installation costs depend on the size of the system, available incentives and subsidies available in your area, and the specific layout of your home or structure. With the uncertainty on worldwide crude oil costs, the price of electrical power will also be affected. With today's rising energy costs, interest in wind, solar power, and other alternative energy sources has been steadily increasing.