Green Side Out - The green lifestyle

Photo by Gili Soffer

The concept of using solar energy to power a home is not a new one. People have been trying to figure out for many years how the sun’s energy can be used in the home as useful energy to power objects. There actually are ways that this can be accomplished right now. It is possible to sustain a family on solar energy. Certain steps must be taken, and it takes a little more foresight when constructing a home, but the finished product is well worth the extra work at the beginning.

One of the easiest ways to harness solar energy is through passive changes in the home. Doing things like sealing up unnecessary cracks in the walls and around doors and windows will help guide energy where it should go. When building a new house, if most of the windows are placed on the south side then the sun will warm the house more effectively. It is important to have the proper kind of window in a home. The best kinds of windows to use are ones that reflect heat rather than absorb it. This prevents the house from having to waste energy on eliminating excess heat.

A popular way (mostly in warmer climates) to harness the power of the sun is through solar water heaters. Roof panels are built outside to collect the sun’s solar energy. Then there are pipes and lines leading down into a regular water heater. The panels on the roof cause the water to remain hot just like a regular water heater. However, the use of the sun’s energy saves money, and the environment. It is also possible to power the heat of a house using a similar system. Water pipes are run under the house, and the solar water system causes the liquid in the pipes to heat up. Once this happens the heat rises into the room.

Electricity powered by the sun is very effective as well. Usually there are several panels set up on the roof of the house, or nearby the house on a south facing slope. The reason the panels always point south is because that direction harnesses more of the useful solar energy that the sun gives off. Most electric solar systems like these turn to face wherever the sun is producing the brightest rays. The solar panels create a DC power current that can be converted to the usual AC power that most homes use. With a house powered by solar electricity it is possible to eliminate the need for any other form of electricity power in the home. There are comunities that actually live ‘off grid’ The initial setup may be a bit expensive at the moment, but the investment will return itself.

With these uses of solar power in the home it is possible to sustain a family off of solar energy. One of the great benefits to using solar energy is the ability to run a house off of the sun and not have to pay electric bills. Another benefit is the ability to save the environment from the emissions that most power plants cause that harm the environment. Sustaining a family off of solar power is a great way to save money and the environment at the same time.