5 Stunning Do-It-Yourself Solar Power Projects

 

I know you've heard solar power's remarkable contributions to humankind. You've already learned the various advantages of using it in our daily lives. Probably, a solar panel is the greatest invention within the context of solar power domain. Are there something else?

Yes, there are. I visited one of my colleagues in Sydney for the purpose of studying solar power in Australia. To my surprise, I've discovered a guy who has this incredible ideas of building things using a solar power. I call him the “solar power guy!”

Here are 5 of his projects.  Try them out, who knows!

1. Solar Water Heater

You must be great at electrical wiring, pipes, PV panel installation, solder joints, copper tube cutting if you want to install a solar water heater. Plus, you have to be patient and really determined.  In other words, installing a solar water heater is something that requires passion and special skills.

2. Solar Attic Vent Fan

This project is absolutely great. In contrast to the solar water heater project, you'll  get to do a little bit of everything with this vent fan. You can install it in a day or so, depending on how complex your attic framework is. Don't forget to use the exact materials for this.

3. Solar Oven

If ever you don't know, an oven powered by solar is indeed possible. With just little knowledge of a regular oven's mechanism, you're on your way to constructing your own.  In case you don't know, you can even design and create an “auto tracker” to track the sun over the span of the day!

4. Drinking Water Purifier

You can make your own small or even big purifier with drippers, valves and various kinds of features. In fact, you can actually refine a gallon of water a day, a thousand even, with your own project. Hence, if you're into getting everything for free, hold this!

5. Off-grid Reading Light

An example of this is a camping light. Attach a small PV panel and a tiny pod containing a rechargeable battery, few LED's, switch, and a light sensor. Make sure it's durable enough to be hung. Be aware that it will be hung over your favourite reading place!

Surprise!

If you think off grid solar panels are for roofs only, forget it.  Why don't you try one of these things. You can share them to your friends as well. Let it be!

3 Common Myths About LED Lighting

It cannot be denied that solar energy is now making waves in different parts of the globe, more so in highly developed nations. Countries like USA, UK, Canada, Australia and the likes, have pursued for the advocacy of using this renewable source.

Solar power systems Australia, like any other renewable source, is definitely a clean source of power. This means no emission, therefore there is zero pollution. Completely and dramatically cleaner, solar power can energise an entire country.

Using this type of energy source emerged various products that are said to make peoples' lives greener and healthier. One of the more popular products are the solar powered LED (short for Light Emitting Diode) lamps/lights. Since these are new inventions, naturally, all sorts of myths surrounding them arise.

3 Common Myths About LED Lighting

1. LED lamps have low energy and therefore, take time to reach peak brightness.

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Fact: LEDS don't work the same way as the traditional fluorescent tubes and other energy saving bulbs. The former do exude full brightness once they are switched on. This is because they don't contain mercury. On the other hand, the traditional lights depend on heating up this hazardous chemical which turns into gas as the heat rises. So, if you use LED lamps, you're actually reducing pollution by not having to use mercury.

2. LEDs contain toxic components.

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Fact: Manufacturers assure the consuming public that LEDs are totally hazard free, and further, are recyclable. Many don't know that LEDs contain more than 70% aluminium, the reason why metal recycling facilities readily take them in. Contrarily, it's the Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL) that contain mercury, a toxic material that can contaminate lakes and kill aquamarine creatures. To properly dispose of, they have to go to hazardous waste facilities. 

3. Being a novelty, LED technology is costly.

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Fact: Studies have shown that the cost of bulb replacement, maintenance, and electricity usage will be definitely lower when calculated over time. True, the cost may seem outrageous at the instant, with your initial investment on high quality LEDs. In the long run, LEDS will pay for themselves, say in 4 to 5 years time.

Bottom line is, the more you use solar powered LED lights in your home or business, the more you contribute to a greener environment. So, start using LEDs and off grid solar panels today.

5 Convincing Reasons to Install Solar Panels

There are several reasons to install solar panels. These devices have progressed significantly to become
a very viable proposition for any average home owner. With that, let's all see at beneficial factors of  having solar panels.

1. Increase Home's Energy Independence

May it be recycling your own water, growing your own food, or producing your energy, you'll always feel
lighter when you know you are self-sufficient. With that, installing solar power in Australia will make
your future assured – no matter what happens. By then, you'll have your own energy source to run
home appliances, power water heaters and many more.

2. Paying Utility Companies Less


Saving money by using less tariffed electricity and gas is one of the best reasons to install solar panels.
In fact, most cases with large installations can reduce your bill up to 50%! Indeed, these devices are the
best way to beat rising energy prices and market volatility. The best part? They make it easier to budget
all your utility purchases.

3. Adding Value to Your Property

Since more and more people are becoming more conscious of the environment and global warming,
having an energy efficient home is an important factor to an average property buyer. In a recent study,
one of the essential reasons to purchase a new property is its energy efficiency.

4. Can Produce Energy in All Types of Weather


No matter where you live in and what weather it is, as long as there's daytime, solar panels can still
produce electricity. Weather certainly has an effect on the power output, however, constant sunlight
is not that good. When it's exposed to direct sunlight for longer hours, the panels will increase in
temperature, thus reducing output efficiency. With that, climates that are cooler are best for these  devices.

5. Reducing Carbon Footprint and Environmental Impact


If you're relying on non-renewable energy, you're significantly increasing carbon foot print and
environmental damage. Gas and oil release large amounts of greenhouse gases, causing a lot of
landscape scarring, sea, land and air pollution. So, when you install solar power systems Australia,
there's a big difference in the carbon foot print.
These are just some of the key reasons for installing solar panels. Of course, don't forget that you're
really helping nature go back to its healthy state with these devices!

Solar Power in Johnny Depp's MYSTERIOUS Island

“Did everyone see that? Because I will not be doing it again.”  – Jack Sparrow, taken from one of his dialogue lines in his movie, Pirates of the Caribbean.

Who hasn't heard of Jack Sparrow? He's one of the characters of the said film series played by no other than the famous world-class actor, Johnny Depp!

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Honestly, I'm not that interested in actors but my brother is. It's he who's interested in off grid solar panels. What intrigues him? Because he heard that the actor's private island will be powered by solar energy!

Before that, read this first.

Facts about the Island:

It's named Little Hall's Pond Cay and located in the Bahamas. It has no lesser than six beach resorts, and all have their own names. One beach is called “Gonzo” as a tribute to one of America's most phenomenal author, Hunter S. Thompson.

"Depp purchased the island because he was looking for privacy," said Carlos Greer, People magazine reporter, “for a whooping $ 3,000,000 some time ago.” Greer also added that Depp is absolutely fascinated with the island, enjoys snorkeling and considers it as an “escape place.”

Is the island powered by SOLAR Energy?

Since there are no power systems in his property, Depp had to contrive to produce power for his incredibly luxurious home. Hence, solar energy became a major option.  Ironically, he's against diesel generators!

It was the famous Mike Strizki who appealed for aid in forging a system that produces energy. The result is a unique system that can store excess solar energy as hydrogen for use at night time or on cloudy days. This is a very rare thing in the Bahamas!

What's my brother's opinion?

Unfortunately, my brother was very disappointed with the idea because according to him, it is vastly inefficient. He believes that hydrogen gas is very dangerous for energy storage in small areas unless it's well compressed.

Plus, Strizki uses propane tanks to reduce expenses. The result is, 10 thousand gallons of propane is needed to be able to store enough hydrogen, which will brighten up the island at night!

Anyway, I know my brother has a very high standard when it comes to solar power. I think this is after he has witnessed the reliability of solar power systems Australia. The question now is, “Does the island have sufficient energy to power Depp's property?” Perhaps, it would be better to ask him.

3 Encouraging Facts About The Solar Power Industry

With issues like climate change and melting polar ice caps dominating our headlines today,  countless people are beginning to worry about the state of the planet (and the state of their pockets too). Hence, the move towards being environment-friendly is also making the solar power industry booming. Here are a couple of encouraging facts about the global solar  industry’s current state. 

1. Governments Are Slowly Cutting Their Dependence on Coal

As many people are shunning dirty fossil fuels and other toxic energy sources, there’s also a promising trend from governments and industries to lessen their dependence on coal, too. In the US for instance, the Obama administration is laying out rules for cutting carbon emissions produced by coal plants. Like in other parts of the world, increasing incentives are given for developing renewable energy sources like portable solar panels Australia.

2. A Photovoltaic Solar Panel Is Installed Every 4 Minutes

Renewable energy industry insiders say that, one photovoltaic solar panel system is being installed not just in the US, but some place else. If this amazing trend continues to grow at this pace, by 2016 there will be one solar panel system attached every twenty seconds. This is certainly way better than in 2006, where just one PV system was installed every eighty minutes.

3. China Will Add 70 Gigawatts of Solar Power Energy

The world’s biggest polluters are the US and China. However, there’s plenty to be happy about in China, in terms of renewable energy.  The world’s biggest carbon emitter is planning to triple the number of off grid solar panels, and solar energy plants by as much as 70 gigawatts by 2017. This should help reduce pollution levels in China, where the amount of particulate matter in the air is 20 times higher than the normal level.

Perhaps the best thing about solar power Rockhampton is that the price of your average solar panel has declined by as much as 80 percent since 2008. This is according to a recent report by the International Renewable Energy Agency. The overall cost of solar power systems Australia has also gone down by 80 percent since 2009, and will continue to drop further. This is because production costs have lowered, although energy storage and transmission system costs still remain high.

Top 3 Misconceptions About Solar Power

Why should you read this? Simple! Because you have to know the truth about solar energy. Living with no electricity is pretty hard to imagine. However, we have to think about the environment too. Solar panels can provide every home with clean, renewable power day or night.

So, here are the top 3 misconceptions about solar power, which I usually hear when I was still working in some solar panels Rockhampton shops.

1. The Electricity from Solar Power is EXPENSIVE!

“So, do you mean that power plants are not expensive?” This false idea is something that has poisoned our minds for the past years. It seems that most people are more inclined in believing that solar energy is highly expensive.

Let's clear this out! Think of a house without electricity. Imagine you're living in it! Of course, you want to 'power' your territory. However, you only have two options; first is to connect to a grid which is more than about 500 yards, and the second is to install a solar panel!

The truth is, you'll spend too much amount of money when you connect to a grid more than 500 yards away from your residence, than installing a solar panel on your rooftop! So, which one do you prefer?

2. Solar Power is Only Available in Warm Regions

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“So, if I'm living in a cold region, I can't avail solar power?”

Please cut that! This one has really hit my thoughts for a while! Because the truth is, it's still highly possible to use solar power in cold areas. Indeed, solar cells tend to have a better transformation productivity under lower temperature!

Another fact is, the average temperature of a geographical area doesn't have much impact on the solar cells' efficiency. Thus, you don't have to worry about installing a solar panel even if you're living in a cloudy or cold region.

3. Solar Energy is not Technologically Prepared for Public USE

“This could be the most annoying misconception of all time!”

The utilisation of solar energy has truly evolved throughout the years. Researches have been made just to fortify the evidence of the power's readiness and reliability. In fact, multi-billion worth of investment has been allocated for it. Even the government is now pushing commercial and residential solar power projects.

For the real thing, the solar technologies that we all see today are totally RELIABLE.

Still Confused?

These are just some of the misconceptions about solar power I heard before, while working for some solar power systems Australia. I hope this page will help you understand more about solar panels. Share this with your friends!

3 Unusual and Interesting Uses of Solar Power

Whenever you think about solar energy generation, you're probably imaging a house with a rooftop cover with blue panels. That's how they started out, but today, solar panels are more than just your typical answer for free energy at home.

Scientists and engineers have been working for many years to discover the many uses of solar power in Australia, USA, United Kingdom and so on. Surprisingly, some of their inventions are quite unusual. Here are some of the craziest things that they came up with.

1. Bikinis

They certainly took the eco-friendly swimwear to the next level, by making solar-powered bikinis. This little piece of clothing can be used to charge small devices while you're enjoying a day at the lake, pool or by the beach.

This bikini is made from flexible photovoltaic film strips that are woven together with conductive thread. This comes with a USB connector to help give power to your phone while you're sunbathing. This suit is completely water safe, but remember to dry out the USB port first before plugging anything.

2. Sunglasses

Since you're going to the beach, you might want to bring your solar-powered sunglasses as well. One of the companies that have invented this unique device is Ray-Ban. Their Shama Shades will absorb enough solar energy to charge up your iPhone.

The arms, or temples, of this eye wear are made up of mini solar panels that will absorb the sun's energy and turn it into usable power. One of the detachable temples has a connector plug for your phone.

3. Movie Theater

Forget the long lines, freezing temperature and blaring surround sound of your local theatre! With a solar-powered movie theatre, you'll never experience being with an annoying crowd and energy waste while watching a good flick.

Sol Cinema is a small converted trailer that can accommodate eight adults or 12 children. This UK-based business is complete with light, projectors, laptops and hard drives – all of which are powered by 100 percent solar energy from two 120 watt solar panels.

Do you feel like you're in the year 3000? Not yet, but with these gadgets, it seems like it! Since these portable solar panels Australia and United States are everywhere now, don't be shocked if there are more out-of-this-world gadgets that will make the scene!