Is Solar Energy Right For Your Home? Read This To Get The Answers!

With rising energy prices and the cost of solar cells, more people are attempting to install solar systems in their homes to generate renewable electricity. Although there are several residential renewable energy systems, solar energy has emerged as one of the most popular due to its (comparatively) low cost and low maintenance requirements. Some homeowners have even built and installed their solar panels. Solar energy sounds like the obvious choice, right?

Well, not necessarily. Although solar energy is the best renewable energy option for some homeowners, others with better wind generate geothermal energy for the best current. Here are some things to consider before investing in a solar energy system to generate the cheapest electricity. First, geography must be taken into account. Some positions are better for solar energy than others. Solar power is good for places that get lots of sun, such as California and west Texas. Other areas are good locations with many large, flat open spaces, such as the Midwest. The best solar power locations are both sunny and flat, such as the Great Plains and the Southwest. Positions that are not so ideal for solar energy are areas with regular cloud cover, usually near the coast of a sea or lake. New England, the Mid- Atlantic, the Pacific Northwest, and parts of the Midwest around the Great Lakes are examples of areas that would be better off with wind energy rather than solar.

Another thing to consider is the number and location of obstacles lying between your home and the horizon. When the sun rises and sets, they block the sunlight to hit your solar system, reducing the number of hours per day you can effectively produce solar energy. Homes in valleys, forested areas, or cities with lots of skyscrapers are inefficient locations for solar panels. Large open areas such as steppes, plains, deserts and mountains are the most efficient.

Solar Panel Placement

If you life in a flat, wide open area and have a large yard, the best place to mount your solar panels in on the ground, facing straight up. The solar cells should ideally be parallel to the ground in position to receive sunlight from all sides - in other words, when the sun is anywhere in the sky you will still be able to catch it with the panels. Furthermore, the solar panel being within easy reach on the ground makes maintenance quick and easy. Unfortunately, this is not an option for many people, especially people living in cities, where the house gets in the way of the sun. Consequently, most urban homes with solar power systems mount the solar panels as high off the ground as possible - on the roof.
As long as they are not close to high-rise buildings, mountains, huge trees, or in the way of any other large structure you will get many hours of direct sunlight translating directly into electricity deals.

Ideally, you'll want to place your solar panels where they'll get direct sunlight from dawn to dusk. Place on an east-west face of a building. If they must be mounted at an angle, tilt them toward the south. Unfortunately, solar panels on the roof create some problems of its own. Specifically, it makes cleaning and maintenance difficult, inconvenient, and possibly dangerous.
Best places for solar energy include the Great Plains and Southwest. Keep this in mind when mounting your solar panels on the roof - place them where they can be reached easily and safely for regularly maintenance.

For more information on solar panels and how to get cheap home kits check out my website at solar-panels-cheap.org for the latest news and free stuff!

Jake Chambers

 

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