Solar Home Improvements without Panels

You've grown tired of paying monstrous electric bills and have decided to go solar. Solar panels, however, aren't exactly your taste. Don't worry, you can go solar without them.

Solar panels are used to convert sunlight into electricity, which can be used to light and heat a home. They are not, however, the only method for accomplishing these goals with the sun. A simple experiment you can try in your driveway will show you why.

Park your car in a sunny spot on your driveway. Get in, mark the time, close the vents and roll up the windows. It starts getting pretty warm pretty quick, eh? You've just experience a concept known as direct gain energy. The power of the sun is more than sufficient to create heating and lighting if it is manipulated to hit your home in the right way.

Direct gain is a concept that has existed for thousands of years. Before electricity was in abundant supply, ancient societies planned entire structures around the concept. You can learn from their experience.

The first rule of direct gain is to focus on the south facing side of your home. In the Northern Hemisphere, the south side of any structure will receive the most sunlight during the year. If the sun is not striking the south side of your home, you're going to need to move some trees and what not. Failing to do so will kill any direct gain heating options you have available to you. The sun must have a clear path to the south side of your structure or you can stop reading this article.

Once gardening issues are resolved, you need to take a close look at the surface areas. Much like a car, it is important that the sun has a method for penetrating the exterior of the home. The primary issue concerns windows. Are there any and, if so, how big are they?

The easiest method to generate solar heat in your home is by placing large windows on the south side of the home. Home Depot, here we come. To truly maximize the effect, you should also have two additional components.

The first is a fan system that will help circulate air out into the rest of the home. The temperature differences from room to room will eventually equalize, but a few ceiling fans can help.

The second issue to consider is your flooring. Windows are great and all, but what happens when the sun goes down? No more sunlight and no more heat. To overcome this problem, you can make improvements to the flooring below the windows. Yank up the carpet and put in some material that soaks up the sunlight. Certain ceramic and masonry products will hold significant amounts of heat. As the sun beats down on them, they slowly heat up during the day. Once the sun sets, they start giving off heat which allows you to maximize your passive solar system.

While this strategy will not replace your traditional heating costs, it can act as a supplemental system to take care of heating issues during the day and early evening. Break out your hammer and you can cut a chunk out of your utility bill!

About The Author
Rick Chapo is with http://www.solarcompanies.com – a directory of solar energy and solar power companies. Visit http://www.solarcompanies.com/articles to read more solar electricity articles.

Photovoltaic Systems - Energy From The Sky

As people search for alternatives to fossil fuel energy, solar energy emerges as one of the cleanest and most practical sources of electricity. Solar panels can be installed on rooftops or any area that receives a lot of sunshine. The solar panels consist of a photovoltaic system that converts the energy of the sun into electricity.

Photovoltaic systems have existed since the 1950s but only in recent years has the technology matured to the point of making it a viable alternative to power utilities. Indeed, most solar systems do not replace the utility company, instead they work in conjunction with it to produce extra electricity that can be fed back into the grid.

One of the main problems with solar power is storing it for use during non-daylight hours. Batteries can be used but they are expensive and have a limited life span. As an alternative, excess solar electricity can be fed back to the power utility company for a credit, and then power can be drawn when needed. In a sense, the utility company becomes the storage device.

Most municipalities have legislation requiring power utility companies to accept electricity produced by solar panels or wind turbines. This system benefits everyone – there is less dependency on fossil fuel power plants and electricity costs are reduced for owners of photovoltaic systems.

Photovoltaic cells produce electricity by using specially treated materials such as silicon that convert light into power. They can be of almost any size and are suitable for providing electricity for small items such as calculators or watches right up to complete industrial complexes. Because they can be wired together, an array of solar cells can produce enough electricity for residential or commercial needs.

The main requirement, of course, is sunlight. This makes solar power most practical for southern areas such as California and Arizona. But it can also be used in more northerly areas as a backup power system. As the technology advances, photovoltaic cells are able to produce usable amounts of electricity even in low light conditions.

About The Author
Ross McIvar is the leading author of http://www.alternative-energy-guide.com/.

Energy Efficient Home Improvements

Rising energy costs affect every homeowner. If you are planning a home improvement project, it's important to look at ways to incorporate energy efficient changes as well as merely cosmetic ones. The money you invest today can quickly pay for itself with savings on monthly utility costs, and on your mortgage as well.

Of course, it takes money to save money, and energy efficient home improvements do require a certain amount of cash outlay. Even if you don't have the budget on hand, there are options available to you. If you are planning on renewing or refinancing your mortgage, talk to your bank about borrowing a little extra to invest in making your home more energy wise. Energy efficient home improvements will immediately lower your monthly energy bills, and the interest on home equity loans and home mortgages is usually tax deductible.

Energy Efficient Mortgages

Another good option is to consider an Energy Efficient Mortgage. Owning a car involves real costs like maintenance and operating expenses; the same holds true for a home. Rising utility expenses must be factored into the costs of owning a home. An Energy Efficient Mortgage (EEM) can increase your comfort and save you money whether you are buying, selling, refinancing or remodeling your home. These plans can be applied to most home mortgages, and provide special benefits to borrowers who are buying energy efficient homes or are planning to install energy efficient improvements. Homeowners with lower utility bills have more money in their pocket at the end of each month, and are able to allocate a larger portion of their income to housing expenses.

There are many benefits to financing your energy efficient home improvements through an EEM:

* Qualifying for a larger loan amount allows you to purchase a better, more energy efficient home.
* You can finance your cost-effective energy saving measures as part of your mortgage.
* Older homes can be improved and updated to become more comfortable and efficient
* Stretch your debt-to-income qualifying ratio with a loan for energy-efficient homes.
* Increase your overall buying power.

Other Financing Options

Many utility providers and energy-related businesses are now offering loans and incentives for property owners to install energy efficient heating and air conditioning systems, insulation, windows and other energy efficiency improvements.

Further, utility companies are beginning to offer a range of improvements to help customers enjoy greater efficiency. In the United States, the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) offers a list of member company programs that offer efficiency services to homeowners, businesses and industrial plants.

More energy efficient services and ideas are available a number of websites, including the National Energy Affordability and Accessibility Project (NEAPP) site.

If you're thinking of renovating, make energy efficient home improvements your first priority. Your monthly savings will quickly make up for the initial building costs, and you'll be helping to preserve our priceless energy resources.

About The Author
Barbara Williams writes for several online magazines, including http://tyrid.com and http://zyod.com

The Open Electricity Market: How It Affects You

In the open electricity market, you have the power to decide which company sells you the electricity you use. There are a variety of licensed retailers who may offer competitive pricing packages, as well as other products and services. Or, you can continue to have Hydro One Networks purchase electricity on your behalf and sell it to you through "Standard Supply Service". This means they buy it at the given spot market rate, averaged over your billing period, and pass it on to you with no mark-up or profit. Regardless of your choice, Hydro One Networks is still responsible for the safe and reliable delivery of electricity.

Why has the Government of Ontario opened the electricity market?

An open electricity market breaks down the electricity monopoly for the generation, transmission, distribution and retailing of electricity in Ontario.

The Government's goal in opening the electricity market to competition in generation and retailing is to help consumers benefit from choice, offer better products and services and encourage exploration of new sources of power and ways of doing business. It is also felt Ontario's economy will have a stronger future. Competition gives consumers the option to deal with a licensed retailer, without compromising safe and reliable delivery of electricity to their homes or business.

For more information about changes to the electricity industry, visit these important links:

Learn more about your relationship with Hydro One Networks (HON) in the open market at: http://customer.HydroOne Networks.com

Find out about the government's open market policy at the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MOEE): www.est.gov.on.ca

Get information on energy rates, electricity retailers and consumer protection by visiting the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) at: www.oeb.gov.on.ca

View competitive retailer offers at: www.energyshop.com

About The Author
News Canada provides a wide selection of current, ready-to-use copyright free news stories and ideas for Television, Print, Radio, and the Web.
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