Homemade Solar Cell

It is no secret that the earth has always been an abundant source of renewable energy. This is why it is able to deliver alternative energy sources in a variety of forms. Renewable power is visible in many different forms and this is seen all over the earth. Actually, these renewable methods are common in regions where mechanical electricity, powered by petroleum, lack availability.

The sun, wind and the many other common properties of the earth itself shall always provide the earth with the energy we need but have yet figured out a viable means to properly enhance such sources into usable power. Currently, the world fossil fuel supplies of the earth are becoming limited. That is why there is a critical need for newer alternative energy sources.

Generating energy from these alternative fuel sources is not very complex since the steps utilized to turn fossil fuels into crude and refine it into different types of gas, diesel and petroleum blends were all unknown processes at one point. What is needed is the application of this innovative skill towards alternative energy research.

The transition to move towards a new form of energy is not well known to most people. However, such steps are needed when it comes to improving the condition of the world. For example, the development of alternative fuels can work wonders to slow down climate change.

One example of a renewable fuel and its resultant prices is solar electricity. The cost of purchasing the many components of solar equipment remains more expensive than current mechanical generated power. This is one of the changes that people need to learn when transitioning towards alternative energy. It is not possible to completely cease using petroleum-based energy and replace it with solar or wind power within a short time frame. Such an approach would not be feasible and it would come with a great many costs.

Generating electricity has not changed very much it was first discovered in the early 1800s by a British scientist. There are seven different methodologies for changing energy into electrical power the most common is electromagnetic induction. This is the common process of transforming kinetic energy into electricity. This is not an easy process but it is the one most commonly used.

Photovoltaic technology has been developing at a high rate of speed and is very promising. The problem with these types of photovoltaic solar panels centers on the fact the cost will be much higher than the costs of mechanically generated power. Capacity is now growing at a rate of 40% and countries such as Germany, Japan, and states such as California and New Jersey are leading the way. Hopefully, in the near future, the market will grow and that will alter the situation to where solar power becomes more feasible than petroleum.

There is a significantly better means to create a new source of power but the process will require facing past mistakes and learning more about the new products and methods that are being developed. Will this happen overnight? Of course it will not. But, with the proper effort the ability to deliver results can be achieved.

I’ve got my monthly energy bill down big time and I did it without solar panels. My energy bill is 25% less than the previous month. Here is how I did it.

Insulate Those Windows – I always laugh when I see someone with solar panels and single pane windows. Talk about swallowing a camel! Single pane windows are horrible. The average person loses about $2 a day in cool air or heat escaping out their single pane windows. You need to have double pane windows. Double pane windows cost a lot of money so just focus on doing one room at a time. Start with your living room and slowly work through every window in your house.

Ventilate Your Attic – Hot air needs to escape from your attic. If your attic air vents become clogged, which they will over time with dust, your attic will hold the hot air and ultimately making your air conditioner work too hard. You must clean your attic vents to allow the hot air to escape from your house (remember, hot air rises). If your attic does not have air vents you need to go down to your hardware store right now and buy some ventilation kits and put a few in.

Filters For Your Air Conditioner – If your air filters are dirty, your air conditioner will work too hard. You should change your air conditioner filters once every month if you want to save money off your monthly energy bill.

Change Your Stove Fan Filter – The fan that is located above your stove will get backed up with grease quickly. Fortunately, there is a filter in this fan that catches all that grease. The problem is that most people do not know that this fan even has a filter so they never change it. When this filter is clogged with grease, your fan has to work twice as hard costing you even more money.

Turn Off Lights To Save Energy – You should lower the wattage of light bulbs you are using and turn off lights whenever possible. Every light bulb has a wattage rating. Ten 60-watt bulbs in recessed lighting in your ceiling turned on for 4 hours a day will cost you about $11 per month. Never leave lights on at night. If you have just one 60-watt outside light that burns all night it is costing you about $10 per month. Forget dimmer lights, they save you very little. Fluorescent lights use much less power but they cost you more. However they last anywhere from 5 to 10 times longer and so that additional cost up front pays for itself over time. Fluorescent lights also have a reduced carbon footprint.

Appliances Power Usage – If you want to understand how the solar power calculate works or you want to calculate this manually you first need to estimate how many hours per day you use the appliance. You then use this formula: Wattage / 1,000 x hrs/day x $/kWh / 30 days/month = total cost per month. A refrigerator uses 540 watts per hour. If your refrigerator runs for 125 hours a week, that’s 125 hours / 7 days = 17.9 hours per day. Here’s what a month’s worth of use costs you: 540 / 1,000 x 17.9 x 0.15 x 30 = $43.50 per month. If you are using a central air conditioner (for 10 hours a day during the hot summer months) it’s costing you: 4000 / 1,000 x 10 x 0.15 x 30 = $180.00 per month.

Why is not a home solar incentive this good being done in the United States? I think we know why. The Republicans and their big oil special interest groups and lobbyists that are blocking this type of legislation. The United States invented solar panels and yet we continue to fall further and further behind.

But I digress. This article is about new legislation in Australia that gives a big boost to the home solar industry there.

A $7,000 discount will be given to anyone who installs a 1.5 kW (9 panel) solar system thanks to the Australian passed legislation called RET (Renewable Energy Target).

Originally, there were two components to this bill: the RET and the ETS (Emissions Trading). There was lots of fighting over the ETS component and so law makers split the RET and the ETS components into two separate bills so that they could pass the RET portion while they continue to fight over the ETS.

The $7,000 home solar discount is for all grid connected structures. It can be an owner occupied home, a renter occupied home, a vacation home, or even commercial buildings. The rebate threshold in earlier home solar discount programs of a taxable income of $100,000 has been eliminated.

Specifically, the home solar discount works by giving a value of 500 percent the market value of RECs or what are called Renewable Energy Certificates.

RECs or Renewable Energy Certificates were introduced in Australia at the end of 2001. Renewable Energy Certificates are what places a measurable value on the displacement of greenhouse gases. A single Renewable Energy Certificate is the equivalent of 1 mega Watt hour of electricity produced. This, in turn, is equal to about one ton of prevented greenhouse emissions. Renewable Energy Certificates provide a financial incentive to burn less fossil fuel.

Depending on your latitude and how many sunshine hours you receive, there are usually 31 RECs attached to a 1.5kW solar energy installation. The value of a REC is subject to market variation, and they are currently trading at approx $35. This equates to $1,085 value in RECs for a 1kW installation. Under Solar Credits, this figure is multiplied by five, to give a total discount of $5,425.

Home solar credits will apply to the first 1.5 kW of capacity installed. For systems above 1.5kW, customers will be eligible for the standard 1:1 rate of RECs. Home solar credits/RECs are issued by the Office of Renewable Energy Regulator (ORER) for the lifetime generation of the system, and customers can elect to either assign them to the installer to keep the upfront cost of the solar energy installation down, or hold on to them just as you would a share portfolio.

Now why can not something like this be done in the United States of America were solar panels were first invented. I guess in America it is all about money and the big oil and energy companies do not want you producing your own energy, even if it is better for the environment. They would rather destroy all life on the planet rather than lose you as a paying energy customer.