Homemade Solar Cell » green energy http://homemade-solar-cell.com save energy, save money, save the planet Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:28:05 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.4 Turning Your Home Into a Solar Powered Eco Home http://homemade-solar-cell.com/turning-your-home-into-a-solar-powered-eco-home/ http://homemade-solar-cell.com/turning-your-home-into-a-solar-powered-eco-home/#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:40:56 +0000 Gary Smith http://homemade-solar-cell.com/turning-your-home-into-a-solar-powered-eco-home/

Many individuals have made a decision to get even more energy independent, and wish to play a role in avoiding a particularly obvious energy crisis. They've decided to go solar. Making a solar powered home is an enterprise that needs a preliminary investment, but the expenses are being lowered each day. Solar power provides long-term benefits. Not just for the home owner, but the environment too.

Now that solar electricity is more effective, you can reduce or even eliminate your electric bill, boost your home’s price and make a contribution to a cleaner environment, all at the same time. It’s a fab time to join the move to renewable energy resources, and the perfect time to exploit the generous government and localized utility finance motivations that can cut thousands of dollars off the price. And now that solar energy is beginning to become even more popular it is growing in accessibility. Manufacturers of solar powered products have realized the capability for a solar age, and are creating new options for those who are considering a solar powered lifestyle. If you are prepared to step into the solar age, you are likely wondering how and where to start. Below is an inventory of ways to make your house a solar one.

Solar Loft Fans- Solar attic room fans are a good example of a simple way to make your home more energy-efficient without spending a large amount of money. The requirement for air con is reduced by venting hot air out of your attic. Installing a solar attic room fan could also increase the life of your roof materials by keeping them at a lower temperature which also reduces moisture buildup in your loft. This prevents mold and rot in your house, and can also reduce antigens and pollution.

Solar Heating- Solar heating systems are made of solar thermal collectors, a liquid system to move the heat to its point of use, and a reservoir for heat storage. The systems might be used to heat domestic hot water, swimming pool water, or for space heating. If you live in the southern half of the United States or in a similarly sunny area you might potentially save between 50% and 80% on your water heating by implementing a solar water heater. The initial cost is big, but dependent on how you employ it, the system may pay for itself in as little as five years. The return is bigger when you factor in refunds and incentives offered by states and local govts.

Solar Paneling-The most evident way to enter in to the solar age is to install domestic solar panels on your roof. Photovoltaic cells, also known as PV cells, or Photovoltaics, come in several sizes, colors, and performance characteristics, made to fit a range of houses and lifestyles. Another important factor to consider is that when PV panels are used with energy conserving appliances, not as many panels might be required to provide power for your home! Large scale DIY stores, as well as smaller, independent energy groups, offer installation. But if you're a savvy do-it-yourselfer, you may decide to do the project on your own!

But don't bust out the screwdriver as yet. Whether you do it yourself, or hire someone to do it for you, there are a couple of technicalities to be seen to before solar powering your home. Such as construction permits. To legally install renewable power sources in your house, you must contact your town or county building permit agency to get permission. You will be able to find out about needs specific to your neighborhood. Don't forget about property and sales taxes. Dependent on what state you live in, you may or may not be exempted from these when it comes to the acquisition of your clean energy system. Solar PV systems typically do not need maintenance, aside from an annual cleaning of the solar energy panels. PV panel life is typically 25 years.

If you are interested in how to make your own electricity click the link here to read this Earth4Energy review.

]]> http://homemade-solar-cell.com/turning-your-home-into-a-solar-powered-eco-home/feed/ 0 Incentives for Switching to Solar Power http://homemade-solar-cell.com/incentives-for-switching-to-solar-power/ http://homemade-solar-cell.com/incentives-for-switching-to-solar-power/#comments Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:44:09 +0000 Tony Jones http://homemade-solar-cell.com/incentives-for-switching-to-solar-power/

Going solar is popular nowadays with massive financial motivations fueling the fire. These are some helpful tips to write off some of your solar system purchase expenses.

Improving your home with a solar energy panel system is financially beneficial nowadays. The government, most states and even cities throw financial breaks at you to promote going solar. With the government, you are going to get a $2,000 tax credit, a figure that's subtracted from the amount of tax you owe the IRS at the end of the year. States pursue a range of plans, but most offer rebates wherein they actually pay for part of your new system. Cities also offer refunds, often by discounting your property taxes.

On top of all of this, you can exploit net metering laws in a majority of states. Net metering simply means you can sell your solar electricity to the local utility when you aren't using it. Known as being on the grid, nothing is more satisfying than watching your power meter run BACKWARDS during the daytime! As you might imagine, this has a pleasant impact on your application bill at the end of the month.

There is one additional finance trick many of us fail to use when it comes to writing off solar energy panels financial expenses. Even if you've got the cash in your hot small hand, you should consider taking a home equity loan or refinancing your home to free up cash to pay for the system. Why? The mortgage interest reduction! Improvements to your house are deductible if they're merged into your home loan payment.

Now, you may be rolling your eyes contemplating per going thru the refinancing process. Don't. Many federal mortgage establishments are required to write financing for those who are desiring to enhance their home by installing solar panels. Even better, most of the loans are written at interest rates well below current mortgage rates.

If you're considering doing a solar-based improvement to your home, speak to your lender about financing options. Take advantage of this strategy and you will be getting a mortgage tax deduction, tax credit, rebate, property tax discount and selling power to the power firm when you go solar. With so many monetary motivations, you have to ask yourself whether you are able to afford not to go solar.

You can cut the costs even more if you make your own solar panel like you are shown in this Green DIY Energy review.

]]> http://homemade-solar-cell.com/incentives-for-switching-to-solar-power/feed/ 0 Is Now The Ideal Time For Solar Panels? http://homemade-solar-cell.com/is-now-the-ideal-time-for-solar-panels/ http://homemade-solar-cell.com/is-now-the-ideal-time-for-solar-panels/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:48:08 +0000 Gary S. Best http://homemade-solar-cell.com/is-now-the-ideal-time-for-solar-panels/

If you live in Massachusetts, the answer is a convincing yes!

As a result of the many incentives at both the state as well as the federal level to purchase solar panels, there really has never been a more rewarding time to go green with solar panels. Most residential solutions are able to pay for themselves in less than five short years.

The typical installation cost for a 5 kW solar panel system is around $25,000. A system of this size is going to emit nearly 6,000 kWh of electrical energy annually in Massachusetts and provide close to sixty percent of the typical residential home’s electricity requirements.

There’s a Commonwealth Rebate that will subtract $2,000 off that selling price. Additionally, for those who reside in a moderate house or earn a moderate wage, you are likely to be given an extra $2,000 off. Or in case you were unfortunate enough to have your house damaged during last year’s tornadoes, you shall be given a further five thousand dollars off.

You’ll also receive both federal and Massachusetts state tax credits. Currently the IRS tax credit sits at a massive 30 percent while the state credit is good for $1,000. Following the rebates and tax credits, you will be able to purchase a 5 kilowatt solar panel array for only $16,000, even less if you should receive the moderate income or moderate home value adders.

A system of that size in Massachusetts will provide an average of somewhere around $80 worth of electricity monthly to get an annual cost savings of $1,000.

But the long-term earnings derive from selling your SRECs. One megawatt hour (1,000 kWh) is equivalent to 1 SREC and a 5 kW solar panel array will ideally produce about 6,000 kWh yearly. Since the state has required the electricity companies to produce an explicit portion of their total electrical energy via green techniques, they will pay you around four hundred dollars for each of those 6 SRECs so they can say that you are producing electrical energy for them. Thus that’s a further $2,400 in tax-free income right into your bank account annually.

So now you can have an understanding of how a $16,000 solar panel system can be paid off in less than five short years considering that it nets $3,400 annually between electricity savings and additionally the SREC proceeds.

Solar panels can also be one of the better home improvement possibilities available to the Mass. resident. For a price of $16,000, it should increase the worth of your residence by $20,000. Now that is a 125% ROI. Many home improvement projects won’t pay for themselves wholly. Solar panels not only raise the worth of your home above what they can cost you, they are able to earn you money every year as well. They are even exempt from property taxes for the next 20 years.

And additionally let us keep in mind the main reason all of these stimuli exist at all – to save the Earth. A five kilowatt solar panel array can lessen your carbon footprint by more than 100 tons of carbon dioxide across 25 years, the equivalent of planting 800 trees. Each and every year, it will prevent the equivalent of around 3 tons of coal or 20,000 cubic feet of natural gas from being used to generate electrical power.

As you can see from all the incentives presently in existence that now unquestionably would be the ideal time for solar energy. The Commonwealth Rebate as well as the federal and state tax credits lessen your initial expenses. Plus the electricity savings as well as the SREC program supply significant income and also bolster your home’s resale amount.

What’s more there is no telling how much longer all of these promotions will be available. The Commonwealth Rebate has already been reduced once plus the federal tax credit has been threatened yearly.

Additionally, while this business grows, increasingly more financing approaches are becoming available to homeowners, making solar panels economical for everybody. Without a doubt if you have always desired to purchase solar panels, there has never been a better time than the present!

Gary S. Best resides in Massachusetts and spent months researching the different incentives and financing options before deciding to invest in a 5 kW solar panel system in 2011. He has since created a website, www.MassSolarInfo.com, educating residents about solar energy in Massachusetts and providing them with a way to easily get free estimates and save as much as $500 off their own installation.

]]> http://homemade-solar-cell.com/is-now-the-ideal-time-for-solar-panels/feed/ 0 Ashrae Energy Audit is the top kept secret to get the most out of your industrial energy efficiency…and your profits! http://homemade-solar-cell.com/ashrae-energy-audit-is-the-top-kept-secret-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-industrial-energy-efficiency-and-your-profits/ http://homemade-solar-cell.com/ashrae-energy-audit-is-the-top-kept-secret-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-industrial-energy-efficiency-and-your-profits/#comments Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:17:03 +0000 Brandt Smith http://homemade-solar-cell.com/ashrae-energy-audit-is-the-top-kept-secret-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-industrial-energy-efficiency-and-your-profits/ energy saving audit?]]> Why Must I Be concerned About energy saving audit?

I know, I know, you already have so lots of things to be anxious about. Your competition is gunning for your best client. The principal project in your shop is behind schedule. You are anxious about the economy and anxious we are heading into another depression. Expenses are rising but you can’t increase your prices without loosing business so profit margins are non-existent. How are you going to deal with rising energy costs?

And that doesn’t even take into consideration troubles in your personal life (we all experience them).

Why should you add something in addition to your list? Since commercial energy efficiency is a low risk way to resolve some of your leading problems.

Think about it. Energy costs are a key expenditure. If you can cut your energy spending by 25%, how much would that help your business? What would that do for your profit margins? How much more competitive will you be if your expenses are lower?

How Can energy efficient audit Assist Me?

If done correctly, a business energy audit can show you how to cut your expenses. A first-class consultant can examine your utility bills searching for billing errors, avoidable charges, and better rates. A good energy auditor can show you ways to help lower your energy consumption (and your energy spending), and many of his recommendations will cost you little to put into practice. And these recommendations are low risk because the consultant quantifies the savings and price to implement. You know ahead of time what to expect, and get to reap the reward of the energy savings year after year.

So What Is a energy efficient audit?

A commercial energy audit is simply a evaluation of your business, building, along with utility bills by a consultant who is a specialist in energy conservation. There are different levels of commercial energy audits. The most popular designations are:

**Preliminary Audit: A high level look at your energy use. Your energy consumption is compared to other businesses in your industry. This gives you an idea of what energy you can save, but doesn’t make any suggestions. **Scoping Audit: Scoping audits include an examination of your utility bills and a quick walk through of your facility to grasp your process, maintenance procedures, equipment, and energy consumption. There is adequate data to discover the low hanging fruit, but not enough to discover every savings possible or to give you a high level of accuracy. **Comprehensive Audit: Also know as an ASHRAE Level 2 audit, a comprehensive audit picks up where a scoping audit stops. A more complete walk through and examination of your facility lets the consultant to fully check all energy conservation possibilities. More importantly, because there is sufficient data to accurately examine your energy consumption, the energy consultant is able to tell you how much energy your can save with a high amount of accuracy. This enables you to prioritize energy conservation measures and greatly reduces risk. **Engineering or Investment Grade Audit: These are the most complex (i.e….costly) audits. They are most often used by major corporations with intensive project approval processes, or by corporations looking to execute major (and expensive) technologies. These include wind, solar PV (photo-voltaic), hot water heating, solar heating system (passive & active), CHP (Combined Heat Power), CHCP (Combined Heat Cool Power), refrigeration (mechanical & absorption), heat pumps, HVAC, high efficiency electric motors, biomass, and small hydro-electric….Most businesses don’t need an audit at this level. The cost and time simply are too expensive to justify the minor improvement in accuracy.

Industrial Energy Audit Services are industry leaders in industrial energy savings. Our decades of experience will make your commercial energy audits fast, effective, and affordable. We are so confident that we will save you money, that we guarantee that we will save you 15% or more on your energy bills. If you would like more information on energy efficient audits or would like a quote please contact us at www.industrialenergyaudit.com.

]]> http://homemade-solar-cell.com/ashrae-energy-audit-is-the-top-kept-secret-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-industrial-energy-efficiency-and-your-profits/feed/ 0 DIY Wind Power – How To Earn Money From Nature http://homemade-solar-cell.com/diy-wind-power-how-to-earn-money-from-nature/ http://homemade-solar-cell.com/diy-wind-power-how-to-earn-money-from-nature/#comments Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:30:32 +0000 Paul Robertson http://homemade-solar-cell.com/diy-wind-power-how-to-earn-money-from-nature/ DIY wind power is a good way to harness the force of nature and save a considerable chunk of money. DIY wind power can be simply achieved for a low cost, and it will also help make you outstanding savings on your energy costs. In essence a wind-mill or wind generator is made up of blades on a geared hubshaft which turns a generator in order to make electricity.

Once converted, the electricity will be compatible for utilisation in your home. The produced energy can either be used right away, stored in batteries, or even sold back to the electric company. Most homes with a generator are still connected to the electric grid for times when wind speeds are too low to power the house.

Constructing a DIY wind power turbine may cost several hundred dollars, which may at first give the impression of being prohibitive. Nonetheless, if the wind in your community is sufficient, you will have many years of free electricity which will more than offset the low upfront amount. Many homeowners, in particular those with farms or large open spaces on their properties, have seen great savings and even profits with their own turbines.

Finding a good guidebook on how to build your own wind turbine is the key foundation to your diy task. On the internet you can effortlessly find guides for sale or even for free that outline the steps needed to build your own generator. If you are comparing guides, make sure you get one that is simple to read and contains detailed instructions. Ensure that the template explains the parts you need to purchase, how they fit together, the best places to locate your aerogenerator, and how to link it up to your house.

Getting a sound location for your DIY wind power generation is very imperative. You want it to be in an open spot without blockages. Make sure it isn’t too close to your household if you have it on a separate pillar. See if you can discover any guides on local wind directions and speeds to help you find the best point for your aerogenerator

One you have identified the best possible place, it is time to get the parts you need and to begin building your windmill. Have a look at online auction sites and specialised turbine stores – these can be really good for getting dependable materials at an affordable cost. Make sure that you have all of the parts before you begin, and consult your guidebook regularly.

When you have done with assembling your DIY wind power turbine, it can be set on a tower or pole in the ideal location. You then run a power line to the house – the best spot to connect is where the standard grid connection is. It is really important to use the right sort and gauge of cables for each part of the electrical connection.

The final step is to connect it to your dwelling’s electrical system, and to batteries should you wish to store electricity. For this step, it is recommended that you utilise an electrician unless you are comfortable working with electrical systems and knowledgeable in the correct way to connect it. Be very heedful to switch off your power at the meter board during the turbine connexion procedure.

You can clearly see that DIY wind power is a fantastic way to save a lot of money. Building your own turbine can be inexpensive and easy. Harnessing the wind can yield savings and even profits that more than make up for the upfront sum of constructing and installing your own DIY wind power turbine.

If you are looking seriously at DIY Wind Power projects for your home, be sure to read a copy of Paul Robertson’s excellent FREE REPORT on Green Energy Options for your home, plus a load of other ways to start saving money today.. Unique version for reprint here: DIY Wind Power – How To Earn Money From Nature.

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