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 The renewable energy source for everyday needs
Power from the sun has a variety of practical and cost-effective
applications in today's homes:
- Solar pool heating systems heat pool water
to extend the swimming season and eliminate pool heating costs.
- Solar hot water heaters can replace existing
conventional water heaters and can easily be paired with radiant panel flooring,
thereby reducing utility bills.
- Photovoltaic cells are solar panels that have
no moving parts, yet they convert sunlight directly into electricity
to be used to satisfy all of a home's electricity needs using
renewable energy.
Solar Pool Heating
- Solar power is used more for heating swimming pools than for
any other single use, with over 300,000 pools heated by solar
in the U.S
- The equipment needed to use the sun's power is so reliable that
warranty coverage for the products far exceed that of automobiles
and household appliances.
- Solar pool heating payback can be as low as two years and it
can extend the swimming season by several weeks without additional
cost. Conventional pool heating systems continue to cost a lot
month after month.
Solar Hot Water Heating
- Water heating accounts for approximately one-fourth of the total energy
used in a typical single-family home. An electric water heater is the single
biggest energy user of all appliances in the home.
- Of all of the major types of water heating systems, solar energy systems
offer the biggest potential savings to homeowners - with owners saving 85 percent
on their utility bills over the costs of electric water heating.
- At least nine states now have lenders which offer "energy mortgages".
- Of the over 1.5 million Americans who have invested in solar
hot water systems for their homes and businesses, over 94% consider
the investment a wise decision economically.
Solar Electricity
There are more than 10,000 homes in the United States that are
now entirely powered by solar. And 200,000 homes in the U.S. use
some type of photovoltaic technology - a completely passive form
of alternative power.
Building integrated PV products such as solar roof shingles for
homes and opaque glass PV facades are now available on the market.
These aesthetically pleasing products replace conventional building
materials while generating electricity, effectively reducing the
cost of PV installation. This building integration market for these
products is growing at 30% a year.
Consumers Have a Choice
Another option many Americans now have available to them is "net
metering", where electricity derived from solar, can be sold
back to the utility. In addition, many customers will soon have
the choice of receiving electricity from their utility that was
produced from a non-polluting source such as solar by paying a slightly
higher price for the clean power. This is called "Green Pricing".
Home solar systems are now even being offered by utilities themselves.
 Types of renewable energy
solar panels used
Using residential solar power
Types of hot water systems
Making the decision for solar
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