With the cost of energy increasing again, it is becoming less of an option and more of a necessity to find alternative electric energy. The toll on the environment also requires us to explore realistic solutions to preserve dwindling resources.
Many people think of alternative electric energy as to complicated for the everyday man to understand. With the advent of new energy systems, this is no longer true. With the new developments in windmills, hydroelectric power and solar cells, more options are available then ever before.
Today, rooftop solar systems preheat the water before entering a household water heater, reducing the use of natural gas and decreasing homeowners’ gas bills. Reducing the effects of the sun has spurred on new development; during the pursuit to lower energy costs, we examined our home and office glass window systems. New designs and technologies in window film, inert gasses between layers of glass, and neoprene frame seals have helped produced windows with an “R” rating instead of a leak rating.
The most popular alternative electricity system for homes, schools and businesses is solar power. The technology used is the most groundbreaking because it harnesses the sun’s energy with tiny components called photovoltaic cells. These cells convert the energy into electricity, which is able to charge batteries. The batteries store the energy for a converter device called an inverter. An inverter changes the battery energy into our normal 120V / 60 Hz AC energy, which will run small appliances.
For example, I have a friend who has mounted multiple 5′ x 3′ solar panels on the sunny side of his house. From the panels, the electricity is stored in a series of batteries connected to an inverter that converts the electric energy into standard 120V / 60 Hz used in his home. One of his main uses is his computer equipment, i.e. desktop computer, LCD monitors, and printer, all powered by solar panels. When not used for his computer room the electricity is diverted to other home appliances.
Solar energy can be more complex than windmills or pre-heaters for hot water, but with energy prices increasing, more products are coming online every day.
I found some great information on state and federal incentives to help you go green and offset the costs of alternative energy at this website Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE). Just type DSIRE in to the Google search bar.
Michael Edwards
