"Solar Panels and Your Home"

By: Rick Chapo

Whether you are going on grid or off grid, solar panels are the foundation of harnessing the power of the sun for heating a home or the water you use.

There are many different ways to supply your home with power. Electric power is the most common of these, with most homes throughout the United States and even the world using this form of power. Other types of power or heating fuel for home use include oil or petroleum, natural gas and even coal and wood. All of these power sources are easy to use and obtain, but are not very eco-friendly. Solar power is a much better choice for green energy, and solar panels can make this type of power a possibility for any house.

Solar power involves using solar panels, which are flat crystal structures that catch sunlight, to convert the sun's energy into electricity and heat. These crystals, which are called photovoltaic cells, are used to convert the sun's rays directly into electricity. PV cells create that electricity because when sunlight strikes the cells, electrons are dislodged – creating electrical current. This electrical current is then conducted via wires, and either used to directly power household appliances, or gets stored in large rechargeable batteries.

Solar panels work because they are large collections of PV cells, lined up and made into flat sheets known as panels. These panels are erected on the top of a home's roof, or occasionally on the side of a hill on the home's property, where ever sunlight hits in the strongest way. Solar panels tend to work best in areas and angles where the greatest amount of sun can be absorbed for the longest part of the day, so if you live in a really shady or generally cloudy area of the world, solar panels may not work for your home.

Some states in the US offer discounts on property taxes, as well as incentives to purchase a home solar panel system. Another incentive is the fact that you will no longer have to be connected to the “grid”, or have to purchase electricity or other types of power in order to power your home. At this time, it is debatable whether or not solar power is considerably cheaper than other forms of heating and power, but it is believed that in the long run, solar power will cost you less per year to power your home. Finally, the biggest incentive for most households is the fact that solar power is much more ecologically friendly than the alternatives.

Choosing to purchase solar panels can be a great way to contribute to a greener environment, as well as a way to provide a renewable energy source for your family. The potential for lower energy costs can also be a great reason to choose solar energy for your home and family.