Will solar panels still collect energy on a cloudy day? Does the sun still shine on a cloudy day? Of course it does, however the cloudier the day, the less energy your solar panel will collect. There are those who claim that when there are a few clouds that allow the sun to peak through, the solar panels actually collect more energy.
Why is that, you ask? They say the panels collect the direct sunlight when it peaks through the clouds, but they also collect their power from the sun’s reflection on the clouds. Areas across the United States that work best are the ones where they get the most sunlight throughout the year.
What types of solar panels are there? Actually two: the grid-tied system that will allow you to use the current and the unused power goes into the utility grid; Independent system meaning ‘off the grid’ provides almost all of your electricity, these use batteries to store the power. The second type, sometimes have generators that are used as backup in an emergency.
Who would best benefit from solar panels? Those where electricity is at its peak and costs over $125 per month. Also those in rural areas where electricity is very expensive and may not even be available.
Many states offer incentive programs and if the programs are still in effect after all the recent problems, they claim they will be there through the year of 2016, but check them out as you consider solar panels.
How long will they last? Many are under warranties for twenty years, and do-it-yourselfers solar panels should last as long if they are installed correctly.
How much do they cost? Depends of course on the size of your panels. Some claim they can be paid for in two to three years. Others claim it takes around seventeen years to pay them off.
Who will benefit the most? Where electricity is very expensive (and they’re going up every month). Where the sun shines year round and the southwest gets the most. Those who plan to sell their home in a couple of years because the panels will raise their home’s value.
Aren’t they ugly? You should install them where you get the most sunshine on your property, even on a backyard shed.
Where can you find more information? To have your questions answered, go online, there are numerous web sites that will answer most questions. And there are many questions, and they all need answers, so find those answers as you do your own research.
SolarGem specializes in Orange County solar power, Riverside solar power, San Bernardino solar power, Los Angeles solar power, Orange County solar panels, Riverside solar panels, San Bernardino solar panels, and Los Angeles solar panels.
Showing posts with label Solar Power Advantages. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Solar Power Advantages. Show all posts
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Exterior Solar Power Systems
When people think of solar power they most often think of utilizing it inside of a home or business. Powering television sets, stereo equipment, computer and of course lights, solar power is generally thought of as an internal source of alternative energy. To think so myopically about solar power however is folly as solar power is used in a number of different ways both inside and outside of homes and/or businesses.If you were to visit 10 homes that utilize solar power it is likely you would find at least a few that put captured energy to use outdoors. Not all solar power systems are designed to power both the interior and exterior of a home or business but those that do save homeowners and business owners even more money than those that don't. Solar power applied to lighting fixtures and signs outside can keep those things running all night, every night without costing an individual much money if any at all.
Should you have questions about exterior solar power systems please be sure to contact us and we'll be happy that answer any you have.
SolarGem specializes in:
Orange County Solar - San Bernardino Solar - Riverside Solar - Los Angeles Solar - Orange County Solar Power - Riverside Solar Power - San Bernardino Solar Power - Los Angeles Solar Power - Orange Solar - Los Angeles Solar Panels - Orange County Solar Panels - Riverside Solar Panels - Solar Panels San Bernardino
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Tips For Using Electricity Efficiently
While utilizing solar power is the most efficient way to reduce energy costs and save money on electricity, there many other ways to use energy efficiently and reduce electricity usage in cases where a family or individual may not be able to afford a solar power system.
The vast majority of electrical use in a home comes from air-conditioning and heater use. Both of these can quickly run up an electric bill because families normally run them for long periods of time and sometimes leave them on while they're away at work and school. In actuality however this is a complete waste of energy and money. While it's true that a heater or AC unit will need to be on in order to make a home comfortable, individuals can do things like set timers on their heaters and AC's and can also make sure window shutters, blinds, and draperies are closed over windows during the times that they are not home. Doing so will help keep heat out of the home during the summer and help trap heat inside the home during the winter. This means that they'll need to run their heater or air conditioning far less than they would had they not made sure their windows were recovered properly.
By running air-conditioning and heating only when people are in a home and by keeping windows covered and closed properly homeowners can reduce the cost of energy consumption and their electric bill by noticeable figures right away. Dressing for the season, even while in the home, will also save homeowners money on their energy bill. They can also utilize blankets and fans as alternatives to prolonged heater and air conditioning use.
Should you have any questions about solar power systems or about how to reduce energy consumption and your electric bill please do not hesitate to contact us so that we may be of assistance!
SolarGem specializes in:
Orange County Solar - San Bernardino Solar - Riverside Solar - Los Angeles Solar - Orange County Solar Power - Riverside Solar Power - San Bernardino Solar Power - Los Angeles Solar Power - Orange Solar - Los Angeles Solar Panels - Orange County Solar Panels - Riverside Solar Panels - Solar Panels San Bernardino
The vast majority of electrical use in a home comes from air-conditioning and heater use. Both of these can quickly run up an electric bill because families normally run them for long periods of time and sometimes leave them on while they're away at work and school. In actuality however this is a complete waste of energy and money. While it's true that a heater or AC unit will need to be on in order to make a home comfortable, individuals can do things like set timers on their heaters and AC's and can also make sure window shutters, blinds, and draperies are closed over windows during the times that they are not home. Doing so will help keep heat out of the home during the summer and help trap heat inside the home during the winter. This means that they'll need to run their heater or air conditioning far less than they would had they not made sure their windows were recovered properly.
By running air-conditioning and heating only when people are in a home and by keeping windows covered and closed properly homeowners can reduce the cost of energy consumption and their electric bill by noticeable figures right away. Dressing for the season, even while in the home, will also save homeowners money on their energy bill. They can also utilize blankets and fans as alternatives to prolonged heater and air conditioning use.
Should you have any questions about solar power systems or about how to reduce energy consumption and your electric bill please do not hesitate to contact us so that we may be of assistance!
SolarGem specializes in:
Orange County Solar - San Bernardino Solar - Riverside Solar - Los Angeles Solar - Orange County Solar Power - Riverside Solar Power - San Bernardino Solar Power - Los Angeles Solar Power - Orange Solar - Los Angeles Solar Panels - Orange County Solar Panels - Riverside Solar Panels - Solar Panels San Bernardino
Friday, September 9, 2011
Solar Power At Night
We often feild a large number of questions from prospective clients who want to know a bit more about solar power before they ever commit to purchasing a solar power system. To of the most commonly asked questions are "how does solar power work at night?" and "can I utilize my solar power at night?".
Obviously the sun doesn't shine 24 hours a day and even when it does there are days where it's extremely overcast or the sky is covered in stormclouds. Some of the more inexpensive and hastily put together solar power systems have trouble harnessing, converting, and storing energy during these times. More modern and more efficient solar power systems however apply new technologies that allow it to store sunlight so that it can be used when it is needed most, during any of the aforementioned times.
Some solar power systems are capable of storing the sun's energy by utilizing batteries, though those tend to be bulky and expensive, while others compress air to store the energy and uncompress it when it is needed. The problem with the latter however is that only about 80% of the solar power compressed is recovered when it is uncompressed. The more efficient solar power systems these days however store the suns energy as heat rather than converted electricity or some form of compressed energy. Storing heat is far more efficient and easy than many other methods as well. This can be done by utilizing a salt storage equipped solar power unit.
If you have any questions regarding how solar power works at night or how a system you might be interested in can store energy for those times please be sure to contact us so that we may be of assistance!
SolarGem specailizes in:
Orange County Solar - San Bernardino Solar - Riverside Solar - Los Angeles Solar - Orange County Solar Power - Riverside Solar Power - San Bernardino Solar Power - Los Angeles Solar Power - Orange Solar - Los Angeles Solar Panels - Orange County Solar Panels - Riverside Solar Panels - Solar Panels San Bernardino
Obviously the sun doesn't shine 24 hours a day and even when it does there are days where it's extremely overcast or the sky is covered in stormclouds. Some of the more inexpensive and hastily put together solar power systems have trouble harnessing, converting, and storing energy during these times. More modern and more efficient solar power systems however apply new technologies that allow it to store sunlight so that it can be used when it is needed most, during any of the aforementioned times.
Some solar power systems are capable of storing the sun's energy by utilizing batteries, though those tend to be bulky and expensive, while others compress air to store the energy and uncompress it when it is needed. The problem with the latter however is that only about 80% of the solar power compressed is recovered when it is uncompressed. The more efficient solar power systems these days however store the suns energy as heat rather than converted electricity or some form of compressed energy. Storing heat is far more efficient and easy than many other methods as well. This can be done by utilizing a salt storage equipped solar power unit.
If you have any questions regarding how solar power works at night or how a system you might be interested in can store energy for those times please be sure to contact us so that we may be of assistance!
SolarGem specailizes in:
Orange County Solar - San Bernardino Solar - Riverside Solar - Los Angeles Solar - Orange County Solar Power - Riverside Solar Power - San Bernardino Solar Power - Los Angeles Solar Power - Orange Solar - Los Angeles Solar Panels - Orange County Solar Panels - Riverside Solar Panels - Solar Panels San Bernardino
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Orange County Solar Power: Solar Power Converting Sunlight To Electricity
If you ask any layperson how solar power works the most common answer you will receive is, "solar power is the conversion of sunlight into electricity". In the most simplest of terms that is indeed true however the process itself is much more complicated and involved.
The conversion of sunlight into electricity happens in one of two ways when you're dealing with solar power. The first method involves photovoltaics and the second involves concentrated solar power. In concentrated power systems lenses and mirrors focus the large area of sunlight into a small beam and convert it into electricity whereas in photovoltaics light is converted into electricity using the photoelectric effect which is a process by which electrons are emitted from matter and then converted into usable energy.
In addition to the act of converting sunlight into electricity for homes or businesses there is also the issue of storing that electricity for use during nights and for times in which traditional power is unavailable such as a black or brown out. Storage methods vary from solar power system to system and the amount of allowed stored energy is usually dependent on the price of the unit a homeowner or business owner is interested in. In all systems however converted electricity is stored using molten salts, rechargeable batteries, or some type of hydrostorage unit. All of these technologies are capable of storing electricity for fair amount of time. This enables homeowners to make the most of their solar power systems at night and during those times where homeowners with traditional electrical needs don't have access to them.
While the process of converting sunlight to usable electricity and storing unused electricity may seem overly complicated to any individual who is uneducated in such things, any consumers wanting to know more can utilize the Internet which will yield plenty of information or they can elect to contact a solar power professional should they have questions that nessesitate answers.
SolarGem specializes in Riverside solar, San Bernardino solar, Orange County solar and Los Angeles solar.
The conversion of sunlight into electricity happens in one of two ways when you're dealing with solar power. The first method involves photovoltaics and the second involves concentrated solar power. In concentrated power systems lenses and mirrors focus the large area of sunlight into a small beam and convert it into electricity whereas in photovoltaics light is converted into electricity using the photoelectric effect which is a process by which electrons are emitted from matter and then converted into usable energy.
In addition to the act of converting sunlight into electricity for homes or businesses there is also the issue of storing that electricity for use during nights and for times in which traditional power is unavailable such as a black or brown out. Storage methods vary from solar power system to system and the amount of allowed stored energy is usually dependent on the price of the unit a homeowner or business owner is interested in. In all systems however converted electricity is stored using molten salts, rechargeable batteries, or some type of hydrostorage unit. All of these technologies are capable of storing electricity for fair amount of time. This enables homeowners to make the most of their solar power systems at night and during those times where homeowners with traditional electrical needs don't have access to them.
While the process of converting sunlight to usable electricity and storing unused electricity may seem overly complicated to any individual who is uneducated in such things, any consumers wanting to know more can utilize the Internet which will yield plenty of information or they can elect to contact a solar power professional should they have questions that nessesitate answers.
SolarGem specializes in Riverside solar, San Bernardino solar, Orange County solar and Los Angeles solar.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Orange County Solar Power Advantages
With the rising costs of electricity and the multitude of new electronics being placed in homes and businesses many individuals have begun looking for ways to cut back on their electric bill. This is a problem however as modern electronics such as computers, TVs, video game systems, computer monitors, etc. all consume a great deal of power. Most people are not willing to give up things they love nor give up any of their conveniences in order to reduce their electric bill. Individuals can however consider something like solar power when they have a real desire to do something about their bill and energy consumption.
The solar power industry has seen its business grow exponentially in recent years due to the aforementioned facts. Throw in difficult economic times and it's not hard to see why so many individuals/homeowners are switching to Orange County solar power. Solar power used to be expensive to set up and even maintain but over the last few decades the technology has come so far that those problems and extremely high costs are now gone, making solar power affordable to families of all socioeconomic classes.
While some solar power setups are still expensive, especially for large homes or business offices, most families can get away with a small or medium system installation. These can range anywhere from $15,000-$40,000 depending on a family's needs and the size of their home. Businesses however will need to spend a little bit more on large solar power and that type of setup can run anywhere from $40,000-$60,000. Despite what some might see as a hefty installation fee it's important to keep in mind that, depending on the system it set up, Orange County solar power can reduce a family's electricity bill by 75% or negate it altogether if they choose to go all out with their solar power.
There are many advantages to using solar power outside of reducing an electric bill. One of these advantages is having electricity during a power outage. More advanced solar power systems will allow a family to have power during power outages because a battery/generator backup system will be installed along with their solar panels. While power is limited during a power outage it can be comforting for families to know that they still have the ability to use some things around the house. Not all solar power systems however include a backup battery or generator and those that do are often considerably more expensive than those that don't so be sure to ask questions when you speak with an Orange County solar power specialist.
Whether you want a more advanced solar power system or you just want something to help reduce your energy consumption and your bill it's important to first ask as many questions you can. When you contact a company that offers solar power they should be able to answer any and all questions you have regarding not only the systems they sell but how the process actually works. A little bit of time, research, and a lot of questions will help you make an informed decision for your family and/or business.
The solar power industry has seen its business grow exponentially in recent years due to the aforementioned facts. Throw in difficult economic times and it's not hard to see why so many individuals/homeowners are switching to Orange County solar power. Solar power used to be expensive to set up and even maintain but over the last few decades the technology has come so far that those problems and extremely high costs are now gone, making solar power affordable to families of all socioeconomic classes.
While some solar power setups are still expensive, especially for large homes or business offices, most families can get away with a small or medium system installation. These can range anywhere from $15,000-$40,000 depending on a family's needs and the size of their home. Businesses however will need to spend a little bit more on large solar power and that type of setup can run anywhere from $40,000-$60,000. Despite what some might see as a hefty installation fee it's important to keep in mind that, depending on the system it set up, Orange County solar power can reduce a family's electricity bill by 75% or negate it altogether if they choose to go all out with their solar power.
There are many advantages to using solar power outside of reducing an electric bill. One of these advantages is having electricity during a power outage. More advanced solar power systems will allow a family to have power during power outages because a battery/generator backup system will be installed along with their solar panels. While power is limited during a power outage it can be comforting for families to know that they still have the ability to use some things around the house. Not all solar power systems however include a backup battery or generator and those that do are often considerably more expensive than those that don't so be sure to ask questions when you speak with an Orange County solar power specialist.
Whether you want a more advanced solar power system or you just want something to help reduce your energy consumption and your bill it's important to first ask as many questions you can. When you contact a company that offers solar power they should be able to answer any and all questions you have regarding not only the systems they sell but how the process actually works. A little bit of time, research, and a lot of questions will help you make an informed decision for your family and/or business.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)